


The King of Everything

by NothingSoSpecial



Series: The King Trilogy [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: FanFiction.Net, Loki is STILL Awesome, NothingSoSpecial, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-14
Updated: 2014-06-15
Packaged: 2018-02-04 16:14:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 45,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1785316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NothingSoSpecial/pseuds/NothingSoSpecial
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One month after Loki's sudden, inexplicable disappearance and the cryptic message he left behind, Thor desperately tries to hold everything- and everyone- together. But now, facing the cruel reality that his brother before him couldn't bear, failed to overcome and ultimately left to him alone to face, a war that Asgard has no chance of winning; too many people who refuse to see that terrifying truth, and even loosing the one last person he fights for, the God of Thunder knows he has got to make a stand before it's too late. His quest for victory- and to finally end all the suffering around him- will lead him into a long since forgotten, forbidden place, and reintroduce him to the cruel world he never realized he knew existed. But, with the help of his friends, and someone else who may or may not really be there at all anymore, Thor might just end up saving not only himself, Jane, his people, and his home from certain doom, but someone else who no one knew needed saving in the first place."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The One Left Behind I

**Thor: The King of Everything.**

**Summary: "(A sequel to "The King of Nothing")** One month after Loki's sudden, inexplicable disappearance and the cryptic message he left behind, Thor desperately tries to hold everything- and everyone- together. But now, facing the cruel reality that his brother before him couldn't bear, failed to overcome and ultimately left to him alone to face, a war that Asgard has no chance of winning; too many people who refuse to see that terrifying truth, and even loosing the one last person he fights for, the God of Thunder knows he has got to make a stand before it's too late. His quest for victory- and to finally end all the suffering around him- will lead him into a long since forgotten, forbidden place, and reintroduce him to the cruel world he never realized he knew existed. But, with the help of his friends, and someone else who may or may not really be there at all anymore, Thor might just end up saving not only himself, Jane, his people, and his home from certain doom, but someone else who no one knew needed saving in the first place."

 **Warning: "** This will be a relatively tame fanfic, **with the exception of** **some** **blood, violence, angst, some language, a character death or two** , **and other adult situations.** **So, to be on the safe side, we'll be going with Rated** T. I have watched both Thor movies and the Avenger's movie, **but this does not mean that I am perfect and/or know absolutely everything there is to know about, and I'm bound to forget or misuse something.** So, with that, please forgive me if I screw up, and just enjoy the story."

**Disclaimer: "I do not own Thor. Please don't ruin my day by thinking I do."**

**N._.s._.S**

**Chapter One: The One Left Behind I.**

" **It's hard being the one to go, but it's even harder to be the one who stays."**

**\- Audrey Niffenegger.**

**There was never a silence nearly as powerful, nor as damningly poignant, as the one that seemed to descend over all of Asgard the days following Loki Odinsson's sudden, second death.**

_No one seemed to know what to do with the wayward God of Mischief now that he was gone. Indeed, he had proven that he wanted to be accepted back, despite everything he had done, and even despite all those who remained who still deeply mistrusted- and even hated- him._

_Plus, he certainly deserved a hero's hailing with his actions during the battle with the Space Dragon and the mysterious, still-unnamed creature that had come with it (not even Lady Sif could dare to argue that), but strangely enough, nothing was ever held, not even the traditional sending-off ceremony._

_Perhaps it was the shock of losing him again so soon._

_But now, one month has passed, and Asgard was still trying to regain a sense of normalcy._

_Everyone, that is, except one._

**N._.s._.S**

**The small, perfectly flat, grayish-blue rock skipped twice across the smooth surface of the crystal-clear water before promptly disappearing into the dark grass on the other side with a soft rustle.**

Thor Odinsson slowly bent to pick up another.

_You're late, brother._

The God of Thunder hesitated for a long moment before letting his arm fall back to his side, the rock dropping to the ground at his feet. As he looked over the surface of the water he could clearly picture it frozen again, with Loki standing just a few steps away, staring at him with those dark, miserable-looking eyes of his.

 _That_ was what had scared him the most that night, if not what came next.

His brother's eyes had been so sad; so dark- _scared_ , even, like he knew something he couldn't say.

Or something he never got the chance to.

_I'm sorry._

Why was Loki always apologizing to him now?

Better yet, why was he only apologizing when he had done nothing wrong?

Or over something he clearly had no control over in the first place?

It was after dawn when Jane and Heimdall found Thor lying unconscious on the shores of the lake. The mounds of snow that had covered the Courtyard and aided in Loki's disappearance (Thor refused to think that his brother was dead- _again_ ), had melted, flooding the whole place with a good two-and-a-half inches of hypothermia-grade water, but oddly enough, Thor had been unaffected.

The Head Medic, Sanat Eir, insisted that it had been the shock of seeing his brother "disappear" (the man had chosen his words quite carefully) right before his very eyes that had done the most damage, and while he couldn't explain exactly how Thor had been protected so well from the freezing cold water that surely would have eventually killed him if he hadn't been found, he did offer one very likely explanation.

He believed that Loki, in his final moments, had protected him.

And somehow, Thor knew that had to be it.

Loki had protected him.

Again.

_You'll have to promise me something before I go, Thor._

_Anything._

_Promise me you won't let him touch you._

Even now, Thor had no idea what the hell Loki had been asking of him.

 _And keep_ that _safe for now._

Slowly, Thor took out the six-inch long, sapphire-embedded silver dagger, turning it over in his hands, wishing it could give him the answers he sought.

_You'll need it soon._

Thor himself had presented Loki with this weapon years and years ago- it was one of the last presents he'd ever given his brother, in fact. Naturally, Loki had found it a truly, magnificently beautiful blade, and had carried it around with him for years.

Now, though, for some reason, he'd given it back-

Along with that damned letter.

Which no matter how many times Thor read and re-read, the true meaning behind it eluded him.

Sure, he understood the warnings.

He understood that the Vael had hurt his brother just because he was a Jotun.

He understood _why_.

But what came next?

_I don't know if you can win this, Thor. There's no secret weapon I can give you that will suddenly make all this disappear. I don't have powers that can allow me to see the future, and tell you that everything will turn out in your favor in the end._

_I can't even tell you what your next step is._

_All I can give you is some advice, and my faith in you, for whatever these things are worth._

He didn't have a chance.

Thor knew that, buried under all that bitter humor and all that silence, Loki had still cared about him- cared about Odin, and all of Asgard too, even, in spite of everything he had done.

But he also knew that something had changed in his brother during these past few months.

Loki had finally opened up.

_I wish I could tell you more. I wish I could tell you something that will make everything easier for you- that would give you the strength to stand fearlessly against such a terrible enemy and able to bear the reality that I truly could not._

_Better yet, I wish I could stand beside you like I did two years ago, staring down at our enemies with confidence; knowing you had my back and you trusting that I had yours, and that there was nothing in the world that could hope to stop us._

_That chance is long gone now, though; what was then can never be again, and I have accepted this._

_But, that doesn't mean that I can't help you from the sidelines._

_He had let him in._

It was only a crack, and for just a moment, but it was more than enough.

Thor understood him again.

_Good luck, brother._

_I wish you farewell, if we do not meet again._

**N._.s._.S**


	2. The One Left Behind II

**Chapter Two: The One Left Behind II.**

**"It's hard being the one to go, but it's even harder to be the one who stays."**

**\- Audrey Niffenegger.**

**I** **t took Thor a long time to remember what had happened after he woke up.**

Everything up to before he fell through the ice; even his conversation with Loki right before his brother disappeared, was hazy- Thor could only remember some of the things that were said. There was no way he could remember how he'd ended up ashore; let alone what had truly happened to Loki after that.

All he remembered was his brother turning away.

Of course, when he _did_ remember, hours after he woke, he rushed back down to the courtyard, despite the warnings of his father, Jane, and the Head Medic, Sanat Eir, and of course, found that Loki was still gone.

That he was, again, too late.

And with his fury, with his pain, came the thunder.

They just stood back, all of them, and watched, mercifully letting him be.

The God of Thunder made his way up the golden steps that lead back up to the large field where he and Jane, just a month ago, were married. He remembered the happy hours that the day had brought, how Loki had helped make it so, consenting to be his best man despite being so uncomfortable with the gesture.

_How could you refuse?_

_How could you_ _ask_ _?_

Despite what had happened with the space dragon and the Vael, that day had been one of the best, rivaling only that night he and Jane spent together under the stars on Earth.

_You're out of your mind._

_Don't be so dramatic._

In fact, the only thing that gave away the fact that his brother had been touched by the ceremony at all, was the smile on his face when it was over, and what he said when Thor thanked him.

_It was an honor, brother._

Above him, the sky was dark and angry, as it had been ever since the night Loki disappeared.

Odin had told Thor in an undertone that powerful snowstorms often followed the deaths of Jotun, especially ones with a strong bloodline like Loki's, because their powers often dissipated into the world around them instead of merely dying with them.

That meant, of course, that they should expect a storm soon.

Curious about this new information, Thor ended up asking Sanat Eir about it. The Medic, who knew much more about Frost Giants and their culture than anyone alive, having studied under them for many years under the Borrhiem, told him that Odin was right, and also mentioned that amongst other names, the Jotun called the process _"immortalization,"_ because often, when it happened, some of the snow (or rain, in some cases) was saved by the family in remembrance of the deceased.

 _I had the chance to watch one of those, once. It was a beautiful, quiet thing,_ Eir had added, kindly, _I was thinking of doing that for Loki, but your father told me that it was unnecessary._

 _'Loki is an Asgardian,'_ _he said, 'And will be treated as such even in death.'_

As Thor closed the gate to the Courtyard and replaced the magical protection on it, he heard light footsteps rushing toward him, and, already knowing who it was, waited for the last moment before turning quickly on his heels and enfolding her into his arms.

"You saw me?" Jane laughed as she returned his embrace.

"Of course."

She smiled at him and winked as they set off together.

"Feeling better?" She asked, hopefully, glancing over at him as a worried look crossed over her sharp features, "You've been coming out here every day since…"

Since Loki died.

_Disappeared._

_Or whatever it was people were saying about him this week._

For whatever reason, it seemed that more people were keener to speak ill of the God of Mischief when they knew he wasn't around anymore to counter their harsh words-

But it wasn't like he ever really did, anyway.

His brother had always ignored all the half-veiled glares and threats with his head held high, even years and years ago, when, for whatever reason, people looked down on him.

But that never stopped the God of Mischief from laughing or snickering at them behind their backs when his tormentors failed to get a reaction out of him.

 _Those fools aren't worth it,_ Loki had once told Thor, when he'd asked why he never bothered to retaliate, _Why should a lion bow his head to the words of a few sheep?_

"I will be in time," Thor answered, "Loki was…"

His brother.

And perhaps to this day, despite everything, his best friend.

"You two must have gotten along when you were kids," Jane continued, after a long moment of silence, "Did you guys ever get into trouble?"

"Actually, Loki was always getting me out of it."

"Really?"

"Yes. Once, I accidentally broke one of our mother's favorite vases," Thor answered, smiling despite himself, "I bribed him into repairing it for me."

"You bribed him?" Jane was still laughing, "With what?"

"I promised I'd play a game of chess with him."

"Chess?"

"Yes. I hated playing that game with him, and he knew the only way to get me to play with him was something like that," Thor answered with a short nod, "He always beat me in less than ten moves."

"So it wasn't just a rivalry, was it?"

"I didn't even know Loki felt that it was until he told me."

"You couldn't tell?" Jane answered, "He obviously had issues."

"Back before I met you, I wasn't concerned with anyone but myself," Thor told her, kindly, "I wasn't thinking about Loki. _No one_ was, and that's probably what set him off."

"What do you mean?"

"Right before I was sent to Earth, Loki ended up finding out he was adopted."

So that wasn't the whole truth.

Not by a long shot.

"He didn't know before?"

"No one did, except our father and mother."

"And they didn't bother telling him?"

"I don't think that our father thought Loki would take it so hard, and nor did he think he would ever find out in the first place," Thor answered, "It was by my actions that he did."

"But you said you didn't know."

"I _didn't_. But it was my idea to go into the Jotunheim in the first place."

"What were you doing there? I thought it was forbidden?"

"It was, to the highest degree," Thor answered, "But I didn't care."

"Why not?"

He explained to her, then, what he had done. He told her about how he'd convinced Lady Sif, the Warriors Three, and Loki (whom, he later found out, had told one of the soldiers to warn Odin, which is how the All-Father got to them on time to save their lives) to come with him to the Jotunheim-

And why.

He had never told her the full story of how he was thrown to Earth in the first place, and as he expected, he saw a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by something else- something he couldn't identify on time before it, too, disappeared.

"No wonder he was so angry," she finally replied, gently.

"Yes; no wonder."

**N._.s._.S**


	3. Just a Dream

**Chapter Three: Just a Dream.**

" **A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality."** **  
** **\- John Lennon.**

 **The whiteness of it all, all but blinded him as he struggled up the steps leading up the side of the peak, but it did nothing to truly hinder Thor Odinsson as he continued on his way.** _There, floating away from him, was a fist-sized, glowing green ball, which lit up his way and allowed him to move, but nonetheless, he slipped on the sleet-covered steps several times, landing in the soft snow that seemed to stick to him as it had done the night Loki had disappeared, but again undaunted, the God of Thunder determinedly continued on his way, following the strange object until it eventually lead him to a clear summit._

_He reached out for the green ball, and was able to feel its warmth before it promptly darted out of his grasp once more, continuing as if guided by some invisible God toward the edge of the summit, and lighting up a dark figure standing there in mysterious, green light._

"Who's there?"

_The figure didn't answer, but Thor called out again when the light revealed a very familiar face._

"Loki!"

_His brother stood silently at the edge of a snow-covered peak, overlooking nothing but the endless world of whiteness. Strong winds whipped his through him, and combined with the heavy snowfall, this made his entire form look strange, blurry and contorted. He had reverted back to his natural Jotun form, his skin now ridged and midnight-blue instead of the pale white Thor so starkly recognized. The bright contrast further stood him out against the fury of the storm._

_However, as his older brother approached him, the blue retreated, dissolving fast and completely as the snowfall around him seemed to stop instantaneously, simply hanging about him, as if trapped by his very presence. His crimson eyes returned to their unmistakable green._

_And then, he suddenly smiled._

"You're not supposed to be here," _he said, softly, his dark brows raising a little as he turned fully, raising his old spear as he did so, which allowed the snow to continue to fall as he walked toward him, his smile widening as he repeated the statement,_ "You're not supposed to be here… Thor."

"Loki, you're alive!"

_The God of Mischief kept smiling and shook his head at his brother's exclamation._

"You must be calling out for me in your dreams… how very charming," _he said, though his dark eyes grew ever sadder, and his tone gentler,_ "But you'll only draw _them_ to you, if you're not careful."

"You must tell me what is happening, brother," _Thor told him, ignoring his brother's comment as he took another step towards him,_ "You must."

_Loki hesitated a moment before looking away._

"I can't do that."

"Why not?" _Thor demanded,_ "You can't just-"

"I will do what is necessary," _Loki snapped, interrupting him, and Thor saw, with some relief, the old, vexatious Loki buried deep under all that unfamiliar kindness,_ "There are forces I must abide to now, and I will not endanger your life by revealing what you clearly aren't ready for."

_They were mere feet from each other now, staring deep into each other's eyes. The world around them seemed to go completely silent, even the snow falling to the ground at their feet and the roar of the wind went dead as their stare went on for what seemed like hours._

_Thor's were angry, hurt even, burning deep into his brother's eyes._

_Loki's were angry too, but they glowed only weakly, as if there wasn't much fight in them left._

"I can't," _Loki said, quietly, finally breaking the tense silence,_ "There's just no way you..."

"Then just give me a sign."

 _Loki just shook his head in clear frustration,_ "Do you have _any_ idea what you're-?"

 _Thor reached out and put his hand on his brother's shoulder, pulling him close,_ "Whatever forces you answer to, whatever you think I'm not ready for," _Thor told him, strongly, as his brother looked up at him in shock._ "I can assure you that I am."

_Pain suddenly darkened his brother's pale, sharp features at those words, but when he tried to pull away, Thor kept his grip on him, and the God of Mischief could only avert his dark eyes.  
_

"Loki, please."

_Loki's dark brows cinched together in worry, but he finally gave in nonetheless._

"As you wish."

_Loki drew away from Thor when his brother released him, and reached into his pocket, taking out the same, glowing green ball that Thor had followed to get to his brother in the first place. Now that the snow was no longer in his way, Thor realized that the ball was cracked and scratched all over, and it wasn't as bright as he thought. It was flickering oddly, in and out, and pulsing out a strange, bright golden light._

_After clasping the odd little ball in his hands for a long, silent moment, the God of Mischief slowly held out the dimly-lit thing to Thor and smiled, weakly._

"Take your hint then, brother," _he commanded, softly,_ "And keep it safe until I return."

"What is this?" _Thor asked, his voice almost inaudible from shock as he looked down at the glass-like ball in his hands, and watching the light pulse through it, marveling at how much it was like a heartbeat, lighting up every few moments._

"It is what the Vael are after."

 _Thor looked up at him again._ "Why do they want it?"

"Because it is something very precious to me," _Loki answered, simply,_ "And it's important enough to our enemy that they will do almost anything to get their hands on it."

"But if it is so important to you," Thor asked, "How can it be a hint?"

"Thor, the reason I give you this, is because it must be with someone within Asgard-"

_Loki paused and looked him straight in the eyes._

"- And in the hands of the one person I can trust with it," he added, with a small wave of his hand, "And with it, comes your _hint_."

_The snow and the wind picked up again as he finished, and Loki looked over his shoulder, as if still expecting something to show up, and Thor could see sudden concern cross over his pale, sharp features._

"You must leave, Thor," _he said, with another smile,_ "I have done what I can, for now."

_And as he turned, his Jotun side emerged yet again, and as he started to walk away, even off the edge of the summit they were standing on, disappearing into the endlessly snowy world beyond, Thor heard him say something else, something that brought chills down his spine._

"This place is too dangerous for those who still can say they yet live."

**N._.s._.S**

**Thor quietly sat up in bed and shook his head as the remains of the dream fluttered away.** It had felt so real- he could still feel the icy wind and snow whipping against his back, and could still hear Loki's kind voice, somehow resonating above them both.

What was that thing Loki had presented to him?

And how could he protect something he'd been given in a dream?

The thing that struck him the most, though, wasn't the object that he had promised he'd protect- it was Loki himself. His brother was alive, and he was coming back.

Loki was _coming back_.

**N._.s._.S**


	4. A Reassurance

** Chapter Four: A Reassurance. **

" **A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal."**

**\- Steve Maraboli.**

**That morning, when Thor looked out the window, he saw that it was snowing.** It wasn't anything heavy, just light flurries that fluttered gently from the still angry, black swirling clouds in the sky, covering the palace's grounds with a clear-inch of undisturbed whiteness.

It rarely snowed in Asgard.

Loki would have been-

Loki.

Thor leapt out of bed and scrambled without really knowing what he was doing as the dream from the night before came back in full force, only to end up slipping when rushing by the window with his red cape- the window had been left open, letting the snow blow in during the night and melt.

_Clink._

Out of the corner of his eye, Thor noticed something small, green, and glowing bounce off the table beside his bed and to the floor, only to roll slowly under the bed and promptly disappear.

Hardly daring to believe it, Thor got back to his feet and reached under the bed to find…

The same, glowing green ball his brother had given him.

Given him in a _dream_.

The God of Thunder stared long and hard at the odd little object, and now that he was actually physically holding it outside his dreams, he could feel the little cracks in it now, rough and unnaturally dark where it was supposed to be smooth and light, still pulsing out that same strange, bright golden light.

But, believe it not, despite the layer of ice over the cracks, it was still unbelievably warm.

 _Loki trusts me with this, even though it is precious to him,_ Thor thought, turning it over in his hands, _So I shall do as he asks, and keep it safe until he returns._

Taking a soft handkerchief from Jane's side of the bed, Thor gently wrapped up the odd little thing and slid it into his pocket, hoping it would be safe there for now, until he found a better place for it.

**N._.s._.S**

" **Your brother must be in good humor,"** Odin told Thor with a stoic, short nod as the younger made his way into the hall and took his place next to Jane, and easily wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "To grace us with his presence so kindly this morning."

Thinking of his dream and the strange, dream-given object in his pocket, Thor couldn't help but laugh and shake his head at his father's remark.

"It seems so," he finally answered with a grin, "It's as if he is among us still."

Before Odin could respond, Eir spoke up.

"It is a wonder that we have seen no storm yet," the Medic said, looking over at the All-Father as he spoke, twirling a three-inch long toothpick between his fingers anxiously, "Perhaps his Jotun powers were not as strong as I had expected."

"Loki used more of his Asgardian powers than he ever did of his Jotun," Odin answered, brushing away Eir's concern with a wave of his hand, "Those powers never developed properly besides."

"That doesn't matter," Eir retorted, persistently, "As Laufey's bloodkin, the _Immortalization Storm_ at his passing should rival that of those from olden history- and it should have picked up immediately after he died, especially if he were as strong as we thought."

"There's no reason for us to assume that just because Loki is related by blood to Laufey that he automatically should rival him," Odin said, sharply, "He was raised here, in Asgard, Eir, and that should bear some weight on the matter."

While Odin and Eir continued at it, back and forth, Thor turned back to Jane.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked him in immediately concern, "I heard you up last night."

"The night was long," Thor he told her, "And I found something strange."

"You did?" She answered, intrigued, "What?"

With a concerned look over at his father and the Medic, who were still embattled deep in their conversation, Thor turned back to his wife.

"I shall show you somewhere else."

**N._.s._.S**

**About fifteen minutes later, after excusing themselves from Odin's table and dodging the old All-Father's shrewd, somehow knowing gaze, Thor took Jane up to the tower.**

"This place used to belong to Loki and me as children," he told her, dusting off the window to see outside. The small flurries were growing in strength, and the snow was beginning to build up, "It's been shut away for nearly a half-century now."

" _Fifty_ years?" Jane answered in clear amazement, "Why?"

"We were no longer children, we had responsibilities. Too many to come up here anymore."

Jane was moving slowly around the room as Thor kept by the window, running her finger down the spines of the dust-covered books, her dark brown eyes wide and curious.

"So all of these were Loki's?"

"Yes. He had hundreds of books. These aren't even half of what he had. Most of them would end up in his own room, or in our father's study."

"So the one he was put in before, after Odin brought him back, that wasn't his old room?"

"No," Thor answered, "He locked that one up years ago and hid the key. Wouldn't tell anyone but mother where, and always slipped back into it when he thought no one was looking."

"Why?"

"I have no idea," Thor said, honestly, as Jane came over to sit next to him on the couch by the snow-covered, dusty window, "When I asked, he couldn't give me a straight answer."

"Maybe he had so many books in there, that he was afraid someone would knock them over?"

"I would not be surprised by that in the least."

Jane dissolved into chuckles as Thor pulled out the little glass ball from his pocket and carefully, slowly unraveled it. She turned to him and her dark eyes widened again in curiosity.

"What is that?"

"Loki gave it to me, last night," Thor told her, seriously, "In a dream."

"In a _dream_ ," she repeated in shock, "Loki did?"

"Yes. And what's more, when I woke up this morning, here it was, sitting on the table."

He let her take it in her hands and as she ran her finger over one of the largest, iced-over cracks.

"It's so pretty," she said, softly, "What is it?"

"I don't know."

"He didn't tell you?"

"He said he couldn't."

_There are forces I must abide to now, and I will not endanger your life by revealing what you clearly aren't ready for._

"In a dream," Jane repeated, still turning it gently in her hands as she added, "Did he at least say why you needed to keep it? Like with the dagger he gave back?"

Shortly after he'd returned from the courtyard right after Loki's disappearance, he'd showed her the letter his brother had left him. She'd offered him comfort and advised him to follow every instruction Loki had given him, honestly believing that he was telling the truth this time.

It was, in fact, similar to what he was doing now.

Seeking her advice, her comfort.

The reassurance that he was doing the right thing.

"This is different."

"How?"

"Loki told me that this is what the Vael are after," Thor told her, glancing at the odd little thing as he added, "And that they'll do anything to take it from him."

_Because it is something very precious to me._

"So he wants you to protect it."

"Until he returns, yes."

With a thoughtful, second look at the glowing green object she held, Jane gave it back to him.

But when Thor touched it, there was a sudden resurgence.

The thing lit up without, stronger and brighter than it ever had previously that morning, bathing the entire room in an intense, green-gold light that silently reached outwards in long, twisting tendrils. They phased easily through all of the solid objects in the room, even through Thor and Jane.

Being touched by the tendrils of light was like being touched by a warm stream of sunlight, warm and indescribably soothing. But there was something else, a rejuvenating essence that seemed to lighten the world around them.

Like it was saying, _"Everything's going to be okay,"_ over and over again.

Until they finally believed it.

**N._.s._.S**


	5. Emissaries I

** Chapter Five: Emissaries I.   
**

" **An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind."**

**\- Mahatma Gandhi.**

**W** **hen the alarms sounded, the golden-green light whipped away, as if startled, and disappeared back into the little glass ball from whence it came, leaving the room dark and dusty once more.**

Jane had been reading one of the old children's books off one of the many shelves with Thor's help. The neat, ancient Asgardian script proved to be beyond her, and the God of Thunder was quick to offer his assistance. But when the alarm went off, he immediately got to his feet and bolted for the stairs, already summoning Mjolnir to him as they rounded the corner into the main hall.

As he carefully re-wrapped the dimly lit, little green-glass ball in the handkerchief and put it back into his pocket, he was so engrossed in the task that he didn't see Sanat Eir running toward them, and the two would have collided if Jane hadn't managed to hem of Thor's cloak at the last second.

 _"What has happened?"_ Thor asked of him in a shout, over the din of the wailing alarm and the rushing footsteps of the armored soldiers around them, taking care to keep a protective arm around Jane's shoulders to ensure she didn't get lost in the panic.

 _"Vael emissaries have arrived!"_ Eir shouted back, _"You're needed in the throne-room, immediately!"_

 _"Emissaries?"_ Thor demanded in shock, _"What are they here for?"_

_"Like hell I'd know! Now go!"_

**N._.s._.S**

**Odin was already waiting for them when they arrived.** He cast them both an oddly concerned look as they stepped up next to him.

"What happened?" Thor asked, quietly.

"Heimdall saw through a group of Vael," Odin answered, "They have asked for an audience."

"Loki said not to trust them."

"I am well aware of what your brother said, but I must listen to what they have to say, nonetheless."

Before Thor could think of a response, the doors to the throne-room opened again, and this time, lead by Sanat Eir, four tall, dark figures, entered.

Unlike the Vael that Thor and Loki had fought, these ones were all hooded. They wore long, bright white cloaks that hid their thick, pitch-black skins from view. As they came closer and closer to the golden throne, Eir held back with several of the soldiers, and Thor saw mounting anger burning behind the medic's dark, steely gray eyes.

The tallest of the Vael, standing at nearly eight feet, stepped quietly ahead of his companions, and lifted down his white hood, revealing impossibly large, maroon eyes.

Like all Vael, his face was devoid of any distinguishable features except for his eyes, and he wore his long, sleek black hair in a thick, neat ponytail that trailed into his cloak.

The silence that followed for the next few minutes were not uncomfortable. They was no anger on either side (excluding Sanat Eir's), no antagonism of any kind that could be even sensed, and after it had dragged on for several long minutes, Odin finally, calmly, broke it.

"You may speak."

The Vael blinked, and for a moment, his face was completely black and blank, but when he opened them again a split-second later, his eyes were brighter and stronger; and his voice resonated powerfully through the tomb-silent, gargantuan golden room.

 _My name is Axel, son of Hern, and Chief Councilman of the Vaelheim,_ He began, with a brief glance back at his silent supporters, _And I and my fellows come in peace._

The sheer absurdity of the comment, in its complete oppositeness from what his brother had told him, made Thor snort quietly and swear under his breath, which earned him a swift, warning look from his father before he turned back to the maroon-eyed Vael.

"This is good to hear, Axel Hernsson," Odin said with an approving nod, "But I am afraid the same cannot be said for your King."

 _Ceil Zak'Vael's actions do not reflect on the Vaelheim. He has been stripped of his throne for acting outside the council of his Advisers and without the consent of his people. He is a traitor, to the highest degree,_ Axel declared, and the Vael behind him flinched as he continued, _And, even as we speak, the Imperial Army is making every effort to find and take him into custody for his crimes against your son- crimes that, in light of their nature, will warrant his execution._

Thor looked over at Odin, his brows raised.

But the All-Father hadn't taken his eye off the Vael that stood in front of him, boldly and without fear in his bright, maroon eyes. Odin's eyes were blazing with a mixture of emotions that Thor could not read, and so he turned to Jane, to see her reaction, only to find that her eyes weren't on Axel, but on Eir instead, and after following her gaze, he quickly saw why.

Snow was quietly blowing in from the window above the medic's head, and while Eir was stoically ignoring the tiny, icy flakes slowly accumulating and forming small mounds on his head and shoulders, there was a broad, triumphant smile on his pale, silently shivering features.

A snowstorm was evidently brewing up outside the hall.

"If you can swear that Ceil Zak'Vael shall indeed be punished for what he has done," Odin declared, steadfastly ignoring the snow and the stupidly-grinning Head Medic, "Then there will be no talk of retribution between Asgard and the Vaelheim."

Axel Hernsson merely inclined his head.

_Done._

**N._.s._.S**

**"W** **e should have the right to take down Zak'Vael,"** Thor declared, bitterly, as the great doors to the golden throne-room closed shut with a loud bang, "After what they did to Loki…"

"Your brother would not have wanted that," Odin reminded him, gently, as Eir walked up to them, and from her place beside Thor, Jane finally collapsed into a fit of giggles as the old Medic raked his fingers through his long, thick grey hair in a futile attempt to get the snow out of it, "And it is only by your own grief that you say such, my son."

"Respectfully, I agree with Thor," Eir spoke up, earning himself an exasperated look from the All-Father in the process, "What Ceil and Remus Zak'Vael did were acts of war, regardless of whether or not they were sanctioned by their people."

"We are not going to start a war with the Vaelheim over a mistake-"

"Mistake?" Thor interrupted loudly, incredulously, "What they did was no damn _mistake_!"

"No, it wasn't," Odin amended, patiently, "But it was by the actions of only two that it happened. And as such, they should not lead to a war against their entire race."

"Then what shall we do?" Thor demanded, harshly, "You can't tell me that you're satisfied with letting that monster go!"

"I do not want to _let him go_ ," Odin stated, his bright azure eye growing fierce as he spoke, "But I am not about to plunge us all into war for the sake of revenge."

**N._.s._.S**

**A** **xel Hernsson was standing at the gates of the palace when Thor and Jane left the throne-room.** He hadn't lifted his hood up, despite the snow coming down, and even though his skin was noticeably starting to burn on contact with the frozen crystals, he seemed completely unperturbed.

When he spotted them coming out, his large, maroon eyes lit up, as if they were the ones whom he had been waiting for, and he turned toward them.

 _Thor, isn't it?_ The Vael asked, calmly, as the two ventured closer, Thor keeping a protective arm around Jane the whole time, _You are Odin's eldest, yes?_

"What do you want?" Thor demanded, harshly, causing Jane to shoot him a worried look.

 _What I want and what I am doing now are to vastly different things, Thor Odinsson,_ Axel answered, undisturbed by the God of Thunder's wrath, _Such as what I am doing to Ceil Zak'Vael, for instance._

"What would you have done, then?"

 _In the Vaelheim, murder is by far the greatest, most dishonorable crime, and while the punishment is indeed death, the criminal, by right, is executed by the victim's father or brother- that is,_ The Vael clarified, his maroon eyes narrowing at them a little, _If they are capable of doing so._

"A life for a life, by the ancient law," Thor replied, with a short nod.

 _Exactly,_ Axel gave him an approving shrug, while catching a flake of snow in his ungloved hand, and it fizzled into his skin immediately as he looked back up at him, _But, unfortunately, the circumstances that surround this case are different._

"How?" Thor demanded, firing up again at once, "He killed my brother!"

 _As unbelievable as this may seem, Ceil Zak'Vael's crimes against his people by far surpass those against your brother,_ Axel retorted, dangerously, matching the God of Thunder's anger with his own, _And you would do well to remember that!_

The sudden silence that enveloped them at that moment was deadly; with blazing azure eyes pitted against fiery maroon, locked into a silent battle of wills…

Only to be pierced moments later.

_Axel!_

Automatically, without even a flicker of hesitation, the Vael broke his stare and turned.

 _What are you doing?_ One of the white-hooded Vael berated, after a quick, wide-eyed glance at Thor and Jane, _Have you lost your mind?_

 _Not quite, I'm afraid,_ Axel responded, darkly.

 _Come along, you fool! And for God's sake, pull your hood up!_ Axel's companion snapped at him, reaching up and roughly pulling it over the maroon-eyed Vael's head before he could defend himself, _What are you trying to do, burn the rest of your skin off?_

It was then that Thor saw the exposed, wet white fibrous skin on the back of Axel's neck, trailing around his neck and down his half-exposed back.

 _Spare me your sniveling concerns, Galenus,_ Axel snapped back throwing down his hood again and turning back to Thor despite his companion grabbing the back of his cloak.

 _Hear me, Odinsson, your grief doesn't fall upon deaf ears,_ He assured him, his voice surprisingly kind even as he pushed the brown-eyed Galenus aside as he continued, _I shall do everything I can to assure you your deserved justice, that much I can promise you._

With that, Axel Hernsson turned and continued through the gates of the palace, disappearing promptly into the the brewing snowstorm, with Galenus still calling warnings out to him and following in his wake, leaving Thor and Jane standing together under the black, swirling clouds.

**N._.s._.S**


	6. A Moment for Grief

**Chapter Six: A Moment for Grief.**

" **No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear."  
** **-** **C.S. Lewis** **.**

" **H** **e's right, you know."**

From his place at the shores of the half-frozen lake, Thor looked up sharply from the faintly-glowing green glass ball to Jane, "Who's right?" He asked her, bitterly, turning back to it as she came to stand beside him, "My father or Axel Hernsson?"

"Both."

The God of Thunder's bright azure eyes narrowed at her as he replied, "How so?"

"Odin told you that if they hadn't hurt Loki," she began, patiently, "Then you wouldn't have said that you wanted to be the one to kill-"

"I did not say I wanted to _kill_ -"

"That's what you _meant,_ " She interrupted, her voice suddenly sharp, "Isn't it?"

Defeated, the God of Thunder only nodded.

"It was revenge that got you sent to Earth in the first place," Jane pointed out, gently this time, "And revenge is why Loki did what he did, in Asgard and back home."

"This time it's justified, Jane," Thor retorted, bitterly, after a moment of silence, "You didn't see-"

Without warning, the glowing-green ball pulsed out another powerful wave of golden light, and this time, it whipped out angrily around them, with memories clawing at the back of Thor's mind in stark clarity.

_I'm so sorry._

_The snow, tiny glistening flakes of ice, suddenly began spinning around him, slowly at first, and then faster and faster until it looked like a tornado of snow whirled around him. It whipped the snow on the ground and tossed it through the air, and as Thor struggled against his binds, he finally managed to get free._

_Loki!_

_Loki turned his head to look at him, and by this time, Thor could barely see him even as he skidded across the frozen lake toward him; and it was made worse by the whirling, glistening white snow._

_The whirling tornado suddenly stopped as Thor reached his brother, and the snow hung frozen in the air, like the air and the gravity around them was suddenly nonexistent._

_And then, the God of Mischief smiled at last._

_I'm sorry._

_There was a single, solitary tear running down his brother's unimaginably pale face, ignored._

_Then he was gone._

When Thor returned to his senses, the light whipped away and disappeared into nothingness as Jane collapsed beside him. Her face was suddenly pale and her eyes were wide in fear and glistening in anguish. As he made to stand back up, he helped her to her feet, as well.

" _I'm sorry,"_ she finally managed to say, tears finally spilling over, _"I didn't…"_

It was then he realized that she had somehow seen what he'd seen that night.

And had felt what he had felt.

He gently wrapped his arms around her as she wept.

**N._.s._.S**

**M** **any years ago, when he was nine years old, Thor found a small, white rabbit in the fields of the Courtyard.** _After some deliberation, Loki told him that it was likely about two weeks old, and had been lost from its mother and consequently abandoned. They decided to keep it in the tower, right under everyone's noses, and for many weeks, they fed it scraps of lettuce and other vegetables from the table._

_But they did not know then that rabbits couldn't eat certain things._

_And, a few months later, they learned that the hard way._

_Loki had come up to the tower, with his pockets full of hay and leaves, only to find Thor crouched in the middle of the room with the unnaturally still body._

_Scared, the seven-year-old called Frigga._

_But even she could not save it._

_It was their first time seeing, or even conceiving of, death, and for a few days, Thor could do nothing else but think about what had happened to the rabbit and why._

_Finally, he could stand it no longer and went to Odin for the answer._

_Quite unsurprisingly, Odin wasn't angry about what they did (Frigga had not told him beforehand), bringing the rabbit into the palace without permission in the first place, but when Thor asked him about what had happened to it, the wise All-Father told him thus:_

"All creatures pass on, my son. Death is a natural part of life."

 _After thinking about that a moment, Thor answered,_ "But the rabbit didn't deserve to die."

"Indeed, not," _His father agreed, gently,_ "None deserve to."

"Then why does it happen?"

"Think of it this way: Sometimes our world needs energy to continue to be what we know it, and so it takes it as nicely as it can from what already live upon it."

"Why couldn't it choose something else to take, then?"

"Because it chose your rabbit."

"So," _Thor concluded, triumphantly, finally seeming to understand,_ "Because the planet chose it to help instead of something else, the rabbit is a hero?"

_Odin had chuckled and told him it was._

_Years and years later, of course, Thor had slowly realized that Odin's words were meant to comfort, not to teach. Death was nor the world taking energy for the world, or a cloaked being who had a scythe, as Loki had read it was- it was a force._

_A force that simply happened._

**N._.s._.S**

**"Y** **ou seem troubled, my son."**

"Is it so obvious?"

It was very, very late by the time Jane, exhausted from what had happened, retired to the palace, leaving Thor out in the courtyard alone, contemplating the events of that evening.

This odd little object was more powerful than it looked, The God of Thunder was finding out- no wonder Ceil Zak'Vael wanted it so bad.

No wonder Loki had protected it.

And wanted Thor to take it.

Thor heard a soft rustling behind him, and when he turned, he saw Odin slowly coming up behind him, and Thor quickly slipped the still faintly-glowing ball into his pocket as the All-Father approached.

"You have come to this place in your grief many times this past month."

"He disappeared here."

And then-

"He was in so much pain."

Odin simply gave a single nod, a gesture for his eldest to continue.

"I don't want _revenge_ , father," Thor finally declared, harshly, looking over at the All-Father as he spoke, as if that would convince him, "I just want Zak'Vael to answer for what he did to Loki."

"You merely wish for justice, then?"

"I do."

For a long moment, Odin gazed at the God of Thunder with a piercing, impossibly bright azure eye, and the God of Thunder had the sneaking impression he could see deep into him, so much so that he could see even the odd little glass ball that he held, and the truths Thor hid from him.

"What is due shall be paid in the end, my son," Odin told him, shortly, "As it always is."

"I know, but…" Thor paused, "It is still difficult to accept."

"As it should be."

Thor shook his head again and stared up at the sky, still pitch black and cold, and as Odin turned to walk away, he took out the little glass ball from its hiding place in his pocket and clasped it with both hands.

 _Loki,_ He thought, looking back up into the empty sky, _I pray you come home swiftly._

**N._.s._.S**


	7. Emissaries II

**Chapter** **Seven: Emissaries II.**

**"** **An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind."**

**\- Mahatma Gandhi.**

**A** **xel Hernsson was leaning against the gargantuan doors of the throne-room when Thor and Jane came down the next morning.** He was alone, unguarded by the bothersome Galenus or the silent posse of fellow Councilmen that had surrounded him last time, and was even without his bright white cloak.

Without the cloak, his body was revealed as well-built and lean. His skin was black and impossibly smooth-looking, save for the jagged, frightfully revolting-looking cracks along the back of his neck, shoulders, and torso that exposed the fibrous, pure white flesh underneath. Sheathed in dark leather harnesses on his back were two long, silver blades, hilts worn from obvious use.

When he noticed Thor, his maroon eyes narrowed a bit, and he gestured for them to come.

 _Our forces managed to corner Ceil Zak'Vael last night,_ He told them, quietly, as they approached; _Unfortunately, he is even more ruthless than I anticipated. He killed all of them._

"How many?" Thor asked, sharply.

_Ninety._

"One man killed _ninety people_ in one night?" Jane gasped in disbelief.

_Not quite one. A Space Dragon and the Black Hunt have joined him. Our infantry were no match for any of them._

"What is this Black Hunt?" This time, it was Thor who spoke.

 _You've not heard of them?_ Axel asked, clearly surprised, _They are our finest warriors, trained from birth to serve none but the Honored King and his closest Councilmen and Advisers._

"How many are they in total, then? Including the Dragon and the Hunt?"

_Seven._

"What are you doing here, then?" Thor demanded, shrewdly, "Shouldn't you be helping?"

 _I have come to deliver a message to the All-Father. Unfortunately,_ The Vael jerked his head back to the gargantuan, closed doors, _Your father is not able to grant an audience this morning, and time grows short._

"Speak your message to me, then."

_It would be unseemly of me to relay a message meant for none but your King._

"Then you plan to merely waste your time waiting?"

 _Time spent in service of my people is not time wasted- in fact,_ Axel countered, smartly, though his maroon eyes flashed in anger at the accusation, _It's really quite the opposite._

"Well said."

Thor turned to find Odin and Sanat Eir moving toward them. Odin didn't seem surprised to see the Vael; in fact, he gave Axel a short, approving nod as they approached.

"I have heard bad tidings have left Vaelheim in unrest?"

 _I fear that the Vaelheim should be the least of your worries, Odin,_ The Vael offered the All-Father a respectful bow of the head as he answered; _Ceil Zak'Vael has sworn an oath to return to Asgard. And worse, he is backed by a Space Dragon and the Black Huntsmen._

Sanat Eir looked sharply over at Odin, and Thor could feel something in him clench tightly as he suddenly remembered one of the many warnings Loki had written.

_**And what they're after, ultimately, is the two of you.** _

_**I don't have the time to explain why that is or how I found that out, but you must trust me on this one thing, if nothing else: do not listen to anything the Vael have to say; especially their King, Ceil Zak'Vael. Whatever peace they offer will be fleeting, and will end ultimately in you worse off when war does come-** _

_**And it will come.** _

"Has he yet declared war?"

 _With the loss of his throne, Ceil Zak'Vael no longer has the right to do that,_ Axel told him with a shake of his head, _But I fear that shall not stop him from attacking with what forces he has now._

"Who does, in fact, have that right now, then?" Eir retorted, sharply, "Is the Vaelheim leaderless?"

 _We are not, nor were we truly ever without a leader,_ Axel replied, calmly, turning to the Medic, _Traditionally, when a Honored King dies or is removed from power, it is his Heir who replaces him. But since the Prince joined his father in treason, the Council instead voted for a new King to take their places.  
_

"Who is…?"

 _Me,_ The Vael declared, simply, with a shrug of his shoulders, _But that hardly matters at the moment._

" _Hardly_ matters-?" Thor began, but Axel cut him off.

 _I am not here to talk politics,_ Axel stated, folding his arms and glancing at Thor with an exasperated look in his maroon eyes; _I am here talk, and plan, war._

"You believe it will go that far?" Eir replied, skeptically, "Ceil Zak'Vael is just one man-"

 _He was just one man three thousand years ago, when he goaded the late King Borr against the Jotunheim!_ Axel interrupted, harshly, _Or has time erased that fact from your mind?_

 _That_ jab fired the Medic up almost instantly. "You _dare_ -"

"That's enough," Odin interrupted, sharply, stepping between them. The All-Father shot the Medic a warning look before turning back to the Vael, "The threat Ceil Zak'Vael has made against Asgard means that I may be forced to dispatch him before your people can take him into custody."

 _Right now, the Vaelheim is only concerned with either capturing or killing the traitors,_ Axel reported, with an almost unnoticeable nod in Thor's direction, _For the sake of everyone, it no longer matters to us who does it first._

**N._.s._.S**

**"T** **he Vael are desperate enough to abandon tradition for the sake of stopping Ceil Zak'Vael and his supporters.** What a very rare feat indeed." Odin said, thoughtfully, as Axel disappeared down the steps of the castle. Since the night before, the clouds had cleared up a little, and strips of sunlight were streaming down to the earth.

Even the snow had mostly melted and subsequently evaporated.

These developments allowed the Vael to come and go without fear of the water's lethal effects.

Even though Thor had the sneaking suspicion that the eccentric, slightly irritable little creature would still have gone out without his white cloak regardless.

"What happens now?" Thor asked, looking over at Odin.

"Hernsson believes that Ceil Zak'Vael's next move is to attack Asgard, and that he is heading here even as we speak," Odin answered, his bright, azure eye expectantly meeting Thor's as he spoke, "And as we are no longer compelled to obey the Vael's custody laws…"

"We can take him down ourselves." Thor finished for him with a grimace.

"Ceil Zak'Vael isn't the only enemy we have to worry about anymore," Eir reminded them, quickly, "I've heard tales of the Black Hunt, and they'll be even harder to take down than Zak'Vael himself. And then there's the matter of the Space Dragon…"

"You forget," The All-Father kindly assured him, with a wave of his hand, "We will have one important advantage we did not a month ago."

The Medic stopped and stared.

"And what's that?"

"We know they're coming," Odin replied, simply.

Thor cast a look beside him, to Jane, but was startled to find that she wasn't there like she was during the conversation with Axel. He turned sharply on his heels to find her standing alone, still at the steps of the golden throne, her back turned, staring up at the ceiling.

"Jane?"

She turned her head to look at him, startled.

"I thought I saw something," She told him, quietly, pointing up at the spot right above the throne-room, "Up there."

Concerned, remembering how Loki had first spotted Remus and the Space Dragon before, Thor looked to where she was pointing.

And, naturally, saw nothing.

"What did you see?"

"Something gold," she insisted, looking back up to the rafters as she spoke, "It was flashing."

"Perhaps it was the sun catching," He told her with a smile, "There's nothing, Jane."

He put an arm around her shoulder and gently led her away.

But as the golden doors shut with a great slam, something bright flashed again, although no sunlight reached it. And, from it, came forth a far-too familiar, resonating voice, far too late in its warning.

_Don't let him touch you, either._

**N._.s._.S**


	8. Gatway to War

**Chapter** **Eight: Gateway to War.**

" **If the gate is open, walk in. If the gate is closed, find another way!"  
** **-** **Mehmet Murat-Ildan** **.**

 **F** **or the next few days, all of Asgard was on edge.** Soldiers were on patrols constantly, moving carefully through the palace, the city, and the grounds beyond; leaving no corner unrounded and no alley unchecked, and if one wasn't careful, they could end up accidentally setting of an alarm. And, to make things even more hectic than they already were, Axel Hernsson was constantly traveling back and forth between the Odenheim and the Vaelheim, bringing with him warriors of his own, which, with Odin's permission, he frequently dispatched alongside the Asgardian ones throughout the palace.

 _"Feels like an invasion already_ ," Thor overheard Eir mutter under his breath after the seventh alarm in one afternoon had been set off, sending a dozen or so harried-looking soldiers running off.

From what Thor had been told, the medic had retaken his old position as General, serving directly under Odin as he had once served under Borr, and he'd been on his toes ever since, working on what he called their "home-front advantage."

" _We know our home better than our enemy,"_ He told Thor when he dared ask him what exactly that meant, _"And that's something we'll use against them."_

As for Thor and Jane, they'd taken to waiting up in the tower or the courtyard, away from the chaos of everything going on in the palace, certain that when the real battle started, they'd hear it.

Unfortunately, though, Thor was often called away to meetings with Odin, Eir, and Axel. These were tedious and unnecessarily long-lasting war summits that often from early morning to evening; and while the God of Thunder understood their importance, he still did not like sitting in a stuffy room with even stiffer people while he felt their time would be better spent watching for their enemies instead-

Or better yet, finding and stopping them.

 _Ceil Zak'Vael and his supporters have vanished, Axel_ began one morning, handing a folded paper to Odin, who quickly scanned it before giving it to Eir, who took it with a short nod of thanks; _My best scouts tell me that it is likely they have finally managed to escape the Vaelheim._

"I was led to believe you had your borders heavily guarded," Eir spoke up, harshly, before Odin or Thor could reply, "How could his escape even be possible?"

 _Let me assure you that this is not by negligence on my part,_ The new Honored King's deep, maroon eyes narrowed daringly at the medic as he answered, his voice bitter and curt; _There are places my people cannot protect, as there are places yours cannot, either._

"Every world has portals that go between the others," Odin said, stepping between them, though Thor noticed that the All-Father's brows had cinched together in unease as he did so, "And while most of them are terribly dangerous to cross, they can lead one almost anywhere within the Nine Realms."

"I thought Loki was the only one who knew of those passages," Thor interjected, impatiently.

"Your brother indeed knew them- but only the ones that lead to and from certain places. And some are more difficult to find than others, as well as more perilous," Odin answered, patiently, apparently unfazed with his son's temper, "Loki knew the ones that lead to Earth, the Jotunheim and the Svartalfheim back to Asgard, but it is doubtful he knew the one leading into the Vaelheim."

"And why's that?"

 _Do you know not even your own history?_ Exclaimed Axel, loudly, clearly in amazement, ignoring even the All-Father's warning look as he continued, _The true gateway between Asgard and the Vaelheim was all but destroyed at the end of the Thrice War, by King Borr himself!_

"Then how did any of you get into Asgard the first place?" Thor retorted, sharply.

 _There are many gateways leading to and leaving each of the Nine Worlds, hundreds of them, each of them more powerful than the next!_ Axel countered, matching the God of Thunder's irritable tone with a venomous one of his own, _The ones your brother found are not the only ones that exist!_

"So follow them through the one you think they _did_ use, then!"

"If it were that simple, it would have been done already. Unfortunately, the links between the Vaelheim and the Odenheim are a different matter than the ones Loki found and used, because of the War between Asgard, the Jotunheim, and the Vaelheim," Odin cut in, sternly, sweeping aside the tension calmly as he looked over at the steely-eyed, silent medic, "Eir, would you kindly explain what happened?"

"Three thousand years ago, after the war between Asgard, the Jotunheim, and the Vaelheim ended- which is oftentimes called the _Thrice War_ in some circles," Eir began promptly, matter-of-factly, as If he'd already known what to say before Odin even asked him to speak, "King Borr knew that certain precautions against the other two worlds had to be taken to prevent another from happening so easily, and the only realistic solution he came up with was to seal the passages between the three worlds involved- that way, not only were the Jotunheim and the Vaelheim almost permanently separated, but the only way they could even think of attacking each other again was going through the Bifrost, which, as you all know, is located only here, in Asgard."

"But, Borr quickly came to realize that destroying those certain passages would wreck havoc through all space and time, creating such a catastropic imbalance that it would eventually lead to the destruction of all the other portals- and that obviously wasn't a feasible option. So, he did the next best thing: alongside the Gatekeeper, Heimdall, and myself, he corrupted certain, well-known paths between Asgard, the Jotunheim, and the Vaelheim, so badly that it would be nigh impossible to get through, even to this very day."

 _And thank the Gods he did it,_ Axel added, his maroon eyes meeting Thor's bright azure for the first time during the entire meeting, _For had King Borr not decided to act so, our worlds would still be at war today._

**N._.s._.S**

**J** **ane Foster dipped her hand into the icy cold water of the lake, lifting up some of the wet sand at the bottom, creating a little swirl of white as it rose and followed her movements.**

Thor had promised to return as soon as he could, entrusting her with Loki's silver, sapphire-encrusted dagger in the meantime (just in case), and while the God of Thunder hadn't told her so himself, she knew he was worried about leaving her here, despite the guards that were stationed on the gilded stairs.

And, to tell the truth, she was getting more than a little worried herself, especially as the sun sank lower and lower beneath the dark, cloud-obscured horizon and Thor still hadn't returned.

She had seen a lot when it came to dealing with the Asgardians- especially with Thor, whose battles with the Destroyer and Malekith she had witnessed firsthand.

So it wasn't even the battles sure to come she was worried about, because she loved the God of Thunder and had complete faith in his and their friends' skills and strengths, and knew what they were capable of.

What she was worried about, was completely different.

And it was just one thing.

Or rather, just one man.

She couldn't put her finger on it, but whenever someone mentioned Ceil Zak'Vael's name, even just in passing, it always sent a chill up her spine. She hadn't seen the former Honored King, and had only gotten several glimpses of his now-deceased son, Remus.

But still.

She came to assume that this uneasiness stemmed from what she'd been told about him from Thor and the others in passing during the past few days.

 _"A cold-hearted monster he was, even in times of peace, three-thousand years ago,"_ Eir had told her, quietly, when no one was looking, _"Cruel and conniving to the bone."_

_"All of the Nine Realms shall benefit when Ceil Zak'Vael is dead."_

Even Axel Hernsson, when he passed her that morning, had given her a warning of his own.

 _You'd best stay by your husband's side,_ He told her, quite solemnly, staring down at her with those impossibly large, dark maroon eyes of his, _If Ceil Zak'Vael finds you, make no mistake. He will torture and then- eventually- kill you without a moment's hesitation or regret, no matter whose protection you are under._

And somehow, she knew the Vael was right.

As Jane patted her pocket, nervously touching the silver hilt of the dagger hidden there, she noticed that there were ripples forming in the water, rushing up against the shores.

And slowly, the young woman got back to her feet when she looked across the river.

Standing right across the river from her, with his arms folded primly behind his back, was none other than Ceil Zak'Vael himself.

And he was staring right back at her, midnight blue eyes positively glowing...

In what could only have been triumph.

**N._.s._.S**


	9. Gateway to Hell

**Chapter** **Nine: Gateway to Hell.**

" **The gates of Hell are terrible to behold, are they not?"**

**\- E.A. Bucchianeri.**

**C** **eil Zak'Vael's head slowly tilted to the side in obvious curiosity as he stared at Jane from across the suddenly still lake.** His dark, midnight blue eyes glistened oddly in the half-light of the evening, illuminating a strange light in them that could only be identified as insanity.

 _Who,_ He began, slowly, his voice echoing unnaturally across the river, _Are you?_

When Jane didn't reply, he repeated himself, only this time louder and with more confidence.

_Who are you?_

Jane slowly slipped her hand into her pocket, taking hold of the hidden, sapphire-embedded, silver dagger out of its silver, intricate case, absolutely sure the former Honored King, true to Eir and Axel's warnings, would attack her here and now, especially as she blatantly defied him.

But surprisingly, the Vael did not even blink, much less move.

Several dark figures approached Zak'Vael from behind, and Jane quickly realized that they were also Vael. There were five of them, all just as impossibly tall and as black-skinned as their leader. The former King didn't acknowledge them in any way Jane could see, even when they each, in turn, bent to one knee.

 _Go,_ He told them, simply, tonelessly, his dark eyes still on Jane as he broke the following silence, still not even sparing any of them a glance as his minions slowly rose back to their feet, _You have your orders._

Jane's grip on the dagger in her pocket tightened as the five Vael made their way around the lake, careful enough to stay clear of the cool waves as they washed quietly ashore. Without a word, the figures passed the young woman, not even glancing at her as they moved toward the gilded stairs.

Zak'Vael waited until they were clear across the field before he spoke again.

 _Now I remember,_ He said, and Jane's pulse quickened as he, too, began slowly walking around the shores of the lake, toward her, _You are the Human woman who wedded the God of Thunder… and a friend of Laufeysson, too. You're under their protection, if memory serves._

"And?" She demanded, quietly, taking out the sapphire dagger and slowly, subtly, putting it behind her back and turning her head to the side, feigning fear as he approached, "What if I am?"

_If you are, I'd first be amazed those fools would be so arrogant to leave you unprotected._

At that moment, the alarms sounded, but Zak'Vael paid them no mind. He was a few feet away from Jane now, and the young woman could feel the tension building up in her chest. Her palm was sweaty from how tightly she was gripping the knife, but she only gripped it tighter as the Vael took another step.

 _It would be like a doe,_ The King continued, his midnight blue eyes flashing oddly as Jane stared, almost fearlessly, right back at him, _Leaving behind a trail of leaves back to its den._

At that moment, Jane knew for certain that Axel had been right in warning her.

Ceil Zak'Vael was the type who liked to play with his food before eating it.

"Where is your dragon?"

She took a step back as she spoke, hand clenching so tightly around the dagger behind her back that she could feel the intricate metal cutting into the soft skin of her palm.

_The dragon?_

Jane had absolutely no time to react, Zak'Vael moved so inhumanly fast. His black hand shot out and a long-fingered, burning hot hand coiled itself tight around her arm, and he pulled her so close that they were practically chest-to-chest, staring up (in Jane's case; Ceil was so tall he looked down at her) into each other's eyes; and it was stony, defiant dark brown eyes versus maddeningly calm midnight blue ones as the young woman fought his impossibly strong grasp, trying to get free.

His grasp was painful for some reason. It felt like something deep inside her was being forced out, as if Zak'Vael was somehow trying to compel something that lay deep and dormant within her very self, like her very soul was slowly, painlessly, being coerced from her own body and being taken into his.

And whatever part of her he wanted was slowly beginning to follow him.

Then, without warning, just as something bright gold flashed between him and Zak'Vael, a strong, echoing voice called out to her, softly, as if whispering right into her ear. The voice was all-too familiar, and it brought her almost instantaneously back to herself.

_**You must get away, Jane.** _

_Oh, my dear girl,_ Zak'Vael said, softly, his midnight blue eyes narrowing dangerously as the bright golden light between them suddenly faded, and his free arm snaked quickly up her shoulder and his hand slowly began to clasp over her neck, _I'm afraid that the Space Dragon is the least of your-_

_**GET AWAY FROM HIM!** _

CRACK!

_\- Agh!_

The dagger hit its mark, slicing directly across the former Vael King's face. He instantly released her and stumbled backwards, covering his face with both hands.

_**RUN NOW, JANE!** _

She ran.

And even over the wailing alarms overhead, over Loki's voice still shouting in her ears, and the harsh beating of her own racing heart, Jane could still hear Ceil Zak'Vael's agonized cursing as she sprinted as fast as she could toward the gilded stairwell.

_**RUN!** _

**N._.s._.S**

**I** **t was hard to explain exactly how Loki Odinsson saw the things he did now.** _It was difficult to explain how every speck of snow, every drop of rain, and every cloud in the sky, was an extension of himself back in the Jotunheim. The only way he could explain it, was that the snow, the rain, and even the clouds were his eyes- they allowed him to see almost everything in Asgard._

_And, more importantly, it allowed him to watch over those who needed to be watched._

_Like Jane, for example._

_He used the lake to call out to Jane when he saw that the Vael had taken hold of her- and had pleasantly found that the body of water had amplified his voice more strongly than he had thought it would, causing the young woman to react quicker to his orders._

_And slash Ceil Zak'Vael across the face._

_Loki had spared himself a laugh before following Jane as she ran._

_The young woman would never make it to Thor, not if the Black Hunt or the Space Dragon had something to do about it. Ceil Zak'Vael had targeted her as soon as he laid eyes on her; and would do pretty much anything to capture her to use against Asgard-_

_And, of course, Thor._

_Loki had to make sure she reached him._

_For all their sakes._

_The God of Mischief slowly ran his fingers through his shoulder-length raven hair, his brows cinching together thoughtfully as he mulled over his options, before slowly kneeling and taking hold of a fistful of snow from the ground. As he stood back up, he clasped the snow in both hands, and closed his eyes._

"Let it snow."

_Loki opened his eyes, and instead of the dark green they used to be, they were bright, ice-blue._

_After flinging the snow up into the air, he turned sharply on his heel._

_Instantly, the snow began to twirl around him, faster and faster until it looked like a sideways-tornado with a center of near-blinding white, had formed before him._

_His eyes turned back to their old green as he stepped inside the portal. As the snow engulfed him completely in blinding white, he managed one last look over his shoulder, and thought he saw a flash of thunder streak down from one of his blackening, angry clouds forming high over Asgard._

_And then, inexplicably, Loki smirked._

**N._.s._.S**


	10. The Trap I

**Chapter** **Ten: The Trap I.**

" **A trap is only a trap if you don't know about it. If you do know about it, then it is a challenge."**

**\- China Miéville.**

**W** **hen the alarms sounded, Thor knew, inexplicably, that war had finally come.**

The God of Thunder summoned Mjolnir as Axel Hernsson darted for the door, already pulling out the two, gleaming silver rapiers holstered on his back as he swung open the heavy golden door and disappeared before Eir, or even Thor and Odin, could stop him without so much as a glance back for them.

"We must move, and quickly!" Eir snapped, quickly taking his Blackwood staff from where he had leaned it against the wall at the start of the meeting, "The Black Hunt approach the gate!"

"Mark my words," Thor assured them, and with a short nod of approval from the All-Father, he, too, headed out the door. "They shall not pass!"

"Thor," Odin warned, just as Thor exited, "Take care not to let carelessness blind you."

The door shut and Eir looked back at Odin.

"He does not fight alone," the old Medic-turned-General said, quietly, "A storm follows him."

"Aye," Odin answered, still gazing at the door his son had passed through, "Heimdall was right."

**N._.s._.S**

**J** **ust hours after Loki's disappearance, following a hunch, Odin paid the Gatekeeper, Heimdall, a visit.**

_The man was waiting for him on the Bridge, as if he'd expected him._

"Do you see him?"

"The Jotunheim burns with a fury I've not seen since the days of Laufey," _Heimdall answered with a short nod,_ "This cannot be the work of any but your son."

"Then he shall definitely return?"

"More than that, I daresay," _the Gatekeeper replied, and his golden eyes flashed and narrowed in the direction of the Jotunheim,_ "He shall bring with him a storm to rival all before."

"Then it has begun," _Odin said, cryptically, turning on his heels, leaving the Gatekeeper behind, still staring at the burning planet that only he could see,_ "Keep your eyes on him, Heimdall."

_The Gatekeeper merely inclined his head, but his golden eyes flashed again, and he smiled._

"Gladly."

**N._.s._.S**

**T** **hunder was already crackling in the black, swirling clouds above her head as Jane ran as fast as she could toward the castle.** _Following closely behind her, almost beside her now, was Ceil Zak'Vael, his dark, midnight blue eyes positively burning with fury._

_He hadn't caught up with her until after she reentered the city. Like how he'd appeared in the courtyard, he'd come out of nowhere and had made a running grab for her in the streets, just barely missing her by inches and barreling into an alleyway, only to reemerge unscathed moments later._

_Making everything worse, it started to snow when she was about halfway to through the castle, and that made running from him even more difficult than it already was. She slipped several times and only just made it back to her feet before he caught her._

_Her whole body was burning (and numb) from running and her arm and shoulder hurt like hell from when she'd hit it on the pavement, but none of that slowed her down. She knew that if Zak'Vael caught her, he'd probably kill her-_

_Or worse, use her to hurt Thor._

**N._.s._.S**

**Loki Odinsson arrived in Asgard mere moments after stepping into the gateway that he had summoned in the Jotunheim.** It ended up leading him not to the courtyard, as he had anticipated; but to a much more useful vantage point- the highest tower of the palace, which so happened to be located in the north tower.

His appearance went completely unnoticed due to the distraction of the battle waging far below him.

Looking up at the black swirling skies above him, Loki grimaced as thunder struck again, blazing through the brewing snowstorm of his own making and striking closer and closer to the ground.

The God of Mischief kept his eyes trained on both Thor and the sky, watching his brother's battle while often darting back upward, scanning quickly before turning back below. He was watching out for Zak'Vael's Space Dragon; Loki knew it would appear very soon, and he definitely didn't want his brother- or anyone else for that matter- caught off guard by it again.

He was also watching for Zak'Vael himself.

As much as he wanted to enter the battle himself and fight alongside his brother and Odin, he knew he was better suited to hang back for now and watch. He did not like it- it did not sit well with him to sit out and do nothing while those he loved fought- but when it came to strategy and war, Loki was more formidable than most-

He was the poisonous viper in the pit of pythons, and those who truly knew him would say the same without hesitation.

It was a complement, really, and a very shewed one at that.

Right now, Loki was positive that now that the former Honored King thought he was dead, he would go after Thor, and, eventually, after even Odin, in any way he could, and he figured that that he'd come into the battle along with his dragon, using the beast as a distraction so he could get at them when no one was too busy with that to keep an eye on them.

Loki looked back up at the sky and spied black specks coming down with his snow, and when he carefully, slowly reached out for one, quickly found that it was ash when it touched his palm. He clenched it tight in his gloved hand for a split second before opening it and watching the fiery little black dot float away into the wind before returning his attention to the suddenly ash-filled clouds.

_"Thor!"_

The cry was just short of a scream, high, terrified.

And pained.

But what made it worse, Loki knew that voice.

It was Jane!

Ripping his gaze from the ash-filled, blackening sky without even a second thought, Loki quickly scanned the snow-trampled battleground down below, and nearly fell over in shock at what he witnessed during the next few minutes.

Jane Foster was desperately, blindly tearing through the crowds, barreling through everything from Asgardian and Vael warriors to members of the Black Hunt themselves, ducking and dodging until she finally reached Thor.

He'd forgotten about _Jane_!

The God of Mischief watched with growing horror as he watched Jane collapse into Thor's arms. His brother immediately dropped Mjolnir, even with the chaos of the battles waging around them and wrapped her in his arms, slowly lowering them both to the marble ground, and even from where he stood, Loki saw something else that made whatever remained of his heart stop.

Blood.

There was _blood_ everywhere.

**N._.s._.S**


	11. The Trap II

**Chapter Eleven: The Trap II.**

" **A trap is only a trap if you don't know about it. If you do know about it, then it is a challenge."**

**\- China Miéville.**

**H** **e caught her.**

And, deep down, from the very beginning of the chase, Jane knew he would. The alien was tens, if not hundreds, times faster and stronger than she was, and she figured it was inevitable that he would apprehend her in the end without Thor or Loki there to help (I.E. rescue) her, _especially_ because it had only been a lucky break that enabled her to escape him in the first place.

But until he actually caught her, she never even thought about what he might do to her.

Zak'Vael turned out to be more perceptive than she'd given him credit for. He'd seen through her tactic of moving up and down the street to throw him off her trail, and known she'd really been taking the shortest path to the gates of the palace, through and not around, and had managed to corner her at one of the last alleyways after forcing her to make a wrong turn by attacking her from nowhere again.

That was probably one of his big M.O.'s, catching people off guard and then taking advantage of them after that.

 _You have finally run out of luck, my dear,_ Zak'Vael said, quietly, as Jane turned back out of the dead end to find him blocking her way, _Such a shame, really. I'd have truly preferred that the God of Thunder bear witness to your death, but no matter._

If possible, the former King was even more menacing than he had been back in the courtyard, and his incensed, midnight blue eyes were only enhanced by the large, ugly, jagged crack Jane had made along the left side of his face with Loki's knife- which she still had, clenched tight with both hands in front of her chest, as though it's presence alone would protect her.

"You won't get away with this."

Such an obvious, even stupid thing to say, but it was true.

She knew that if this monster killed her, Thor would stop at nothing to tear him limb from limb.

That was comforting; at least, knowing her death would not go unavenged for long.

In a sick, twisted way, of course.

 _Get away?_ The alien blinked, and his head tilted a little in apparent, taunting confusion, _Get away with this, you mean?  
_

He moved so fast that he was just a blur of black and silver, and within a moment, he had Jane off her feet and pushed up against the wall, one large, thin hand pressed against the center of her chest and the other, free hand grasping her's, the one that held Loki's knife, keeping her from moving that arm and therefore leaving her practically helpless before him.

_You still don't get it, do you?_

Jane has the distinct feeling that the former King was smiling under that thick, cracked, black exoskeleton of his.

 _You are but a Human, and an absurdly dense one at that,_ He stated, flatly, as she stared defiantly, daringly, right back at him, _Your blood may, perhaps, be less filthy than the Jotun's, but even that is comparing one repulsive little creature to another!_

The clear jab at Loki caused Jane to lose her already worn temper.

"His blood is cleaner than yours will ever be!"

That, as it turned out, was probably one of the worst things she could have said.

At her words, Ceil Zak'Vael's midnight blue eyes lit up with such a tremendous fury that something deep within Jane cringed and hardened at once, and that may have just been the move that saved her from what happened next.

_**Crack!** _

Jane could hear something, probably a bone (or two) shattering, when Zak'Vael all but threw her into the wall adjacent from the one he'd had her pinned against, and even as she fell, he was on her again, grabbing her by the collar and then roughly pulling her harshly back up to her feet and then slamming her once again into the wall.

Loki's dagger was thrown and lost in the scuffle.

_You dare compare the Honored Lord of the Vaelheim, and master of all souls, to the vile Jotun?!_

This time, he had both her wrists caught in one hand, and the other was clenched around her throat. It was a battle between defiant, blazing dark brown eyes and a pair of cold, furious ones as they stared at each other, each in equal hatred for the other.

The silence that lasted between them for that moment was long and brutal, and it seemed to press the air down onto them both- even the snow around them collapsed off the edge of the roofs and blew around them, as if their very spirits were clashing as they stared off.

 _I should Curse you, Jane Foster,_ Zak'Vael declared, his voice low and deadly, _I should Curse you, right here, right now, and have you stand helplessly by my side as I burn Asgard to the ground._

Without even flinching at his threatening words, Jane gathered all the blood in her mouth...

And spat at him.

After that, everything suddenly went black.

**N._.s._.S**

**A** **fter Jane spat at him, Zak'Vael threw her back onto the ground with probably enough force to shatter her back, and then knelt down beside her in the snow as she lay there, unable to move or fight back, and just a barely conscious.**

_He slowly ran the back of his hand over her cheek, and then brushed his fingertips against her exposed neck before settling his open palm over her chest._

_His hand seemed to sink slowly into the young woman's body, unaffected by the flesh and bone in his way, clenching tightly and then drawing out something bright, bright cerulean blue and surrounded by blindingly glowing tendrils of gold, out of her chest._

_It reminded him of the glowing, golden-green one that belonged to Laufeysson, the one he had seen for only a split second before the infernal God of Mischief snatched it from his grasp the last time they fought._

_At the loss of her soul, Jane's body reacted instinctively, even as she lay practically unconscious, and, as battered as it was, she reached for it, and actually managed to wrap her right hand over his wrist in a feeble attempt to stop him from taking it, but Ceil Zak'Vael effortlessly unlatched her grip with his free hand and carelessly shove it away, back onto the ground. After that was done, he looked back into the woman's eyes._

_He marveled, for a long moment, at the defiance that still illuminated them._

_Then he let his fury at her dishonor of him take hold again, and he tightly gripped the little soul within both hands and murmured his Curse under his breath._

**"Oh, damned soul;**

**I dare you, play the savior.**

**Oh, savior;**

**I dare you, play the hero.**

**Oh, hero;**

**I bid you, sicken in return for your selfless deed."**

_As he finished speaking, a jagged crack in the soul appeared, right underneath his fingertips._

_As he anticipated, the moment the crack in the object appeared, the human woman began screaming, and the defiance in her eyes was replaced by agony._

_All as she cried out and convulsed from the excruciating pain, Zak'Vael watched her; head tilted in what could only have been sadistic curiosity, his large, dark eyes positively glowing with malevolence-_

_And something else._

_Pure satisfaction._

_As if this was exactly what he wanted all along._

_After watching her literally writhe at his feet for a long moment, the Vael simply got back to his feet, carelessly bouncing the glowing, cerulean glass ball up and down in his palm as if it were merely a toy, and began to walk away, leaving Jane, whose body was still uncontrollably convulsing, lying on the ground._

_He was leaving her for dead._

_Zak'Vael stopped a few steps away from his victim and leisurely bent to pick something that had apparently caught his eye out of the snow._

_It was Loki's dagger._

Such a strange, pretty trinket, _The King commented, softly, looking back over at Jane, gripping the handle of the blade with one hand and pinching the tip of it between two long, black fingers with the other,_ Someone clearly put their heart into making this little thing...

Such a shame.

_And with that, the cruel Vael easily snapped the blade from the hilt, breaking the dagger almost cleanly in half, and, as he started walking away again, he tossed it carelessly back into the snow from whence it came._

**N._.s._.S**

**She doesn't remember how she made it to the gates.** Perhaps Ceil Zak'Vael, so convinced that he had killed her, let down his guard and let her slip by while his back was turned, or maybe he pitied her so from seeing her battered form staggering out of the alley that he decided to let her go by.

Regardless of what it was, she made it to Thor.

But the pain was so intense, so excruciating, that the moment she saw him, the mantra "You're okay, just keep going, you're okay" that she'd use to keep the tears at bay, broke down and she literally fell sobbing into his arms.

_Why did it hurt so much?_

_Why wouldn't it stop, go away?_

She doesn't hear anything Thor is saying, doesn't see him drop Mjolnir in his haste to help her even though they're in the middle of a battlefield, and doesn't even _feel_ his arms wrap protectively around her.

Which was an added cruelty because his arms were, to her, supposed to be the safest place for her.

He was supposed to be _safe_ , damn it!

But now...

Now, as she looked up into a suddenly black, ash-filled sky of flames, she felt nothing.

**N._.s._.S**


	12. A Returner

**Chapter Twelve: A Returner.**

" **The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again."**

**\- Charles Dickens.**

**T** **he fury that instantaneously rose up within Loki as he watched Jane collapse into his brother's arms was almost overwhelming, so much so that it took every ounce of self-control and common sense he possessed to not rush into the battle himself and tear Ceil Zak'Vael apart himself.**

While he couldn't say that he hadn't expected the former King to go after her from the very start (it was evidently a very _practical_ plan, to say the least); it only hit him the moment he saw them in the Courtyard.

He had made a mistake-

And the worst kind of mistake at that.

_He'd underestimated what Ceil Zak'Vael was capable of._

He, the God of Mischief; he, the master strategist, had been blindsided by simple cruelty.

Now that, _that_ more than anything, infuriated him.

Loki absolutely hated being outsmarted by his enemies- to him, that was much, _much_ worse than losing a fight outright. He prided himself on predicting and ultimately thwarting his adversaries' plots, and got a kick out of intentionally messing with them after he had them ensnared in his traps.

But when it came down to it, when it was the opposite, when the tables were turned…

"Damn," Loki swore, aloud, looking back up at the ashy sky, his abnormally bright, jade-green eyes narrowing dangerously as he spotted a dark, shady figure flying high above the black clouds, and, when he realized what it was, his hands clenched hard enough to draw blood.

_"Damn!"_

He could be just as helpless as the rest of them.

**N._.s._.S**

**T** **he Space Dragon dived through the swirling black clouds and flaming ash, letting loose a jet of powerful flames that parted the two with a deafening roar.**

Even as the battles around him waged on, and as the Warriors Three, Sanat Eir, and even Odin slowly made their ways toward him to try to help him, the unshakable God of Thunder doesn't move.

It seemed as though he had been disconnected from the dangerous reality around him.

In his arms, held close, almost desperately so, was Jane.

The young woman had rushed through the gates and collapsed into him, sobbing. She'd been hurt, there was blood everywhere, and she wouldn't let go even now as she was nearing unconsciousness. No matter what he tried, he couldn't stop the terrible bleeding.

It reminded him too much of what happened in the Svartalfheim.

He, powerless to do anything but watch as someone he loved lie dying in his arms.

This was somehow worse.

Much, much worse.

By leaving her in the Courtyard that morning, he had basically handed her to the Vael- to Ceil Zak'Vael, whom Thor knew without a doubt was responsible for doing this to her.

And by the Gods, he wasn't going to let him get away with it.

" _ **THOR!"**_

Inexplicably, instead of looking over his shoulder to search for the all-too familiar voice that had, quite literally, shouted right in his ear, the God of Thunder looked up.

And his bright azure eyes widened in shock at what he saw.

Soaring right through the blackened clouds and surrounded by a torrent of powerful flames that seemed to burn the very sky it bathed in crimson, was the Space Dragon.

And it was diving straight down to him.

Without thinking, Thor reached for Mjolnir. The hammer lay right in front of him- he'd dropped the weapon instinctively when Jane appeared, and hadn't given it a thought since.

He wrapped his hand around the handle, intent on stopping the dragon in its tracks…

But found he could not lift it.

_**"Thor!"** _

Again, Loki's shouted right into his ears, projecting out of nowhere, and even as the jet of flames and the dragon closed in, no matter how many times Thor tried lifting the weapon, it was as though something far stronger than even he held it down firmly to the earth.

Finally as the Space Dragon reached them, his mighty wings making the earth below quake, everything around the God of Thunder began to burn, and, even as he heard the world around him go deafeningly silent in shock at what was about to happen, all he did was draw Jane closer to him, and close his bright azure eyes against the inferno that would consume them.

**"Thor."**

**N._.s._.S**

**T** **here could have been any number of reasons Thor could not wield Mjolnir at that exact moment, but Loki could point at none in particular with confidence as he jumped from the balcony.**

_The thought that lingered most in the God of Mischief's surprisingly still mind however, was that, perhaps, his brother's will, the very will Loki knew was required to wield the mighty hammer in the first place, fizzled out from the shock of watching the woman he loved collapse into his arms like that._

_It fit._

_Loki had long since discovered that Thor's strength and will were both connected deeply with his emotions and, most of all, with those he held dear. Jane, of course, was among those closest to his heart, along with Odin, the various members of the Avengers, and (even after everything) his younger brother._

_Losing any one of them would surely spell the end of the God of Thunder's power._

_What Loki did not quite understand was that usually, Thor's sorrow would turn to rage. That was what enabled the God of Thunder to defeat Malekith in the first place- the combined deaths of their mother and Loki himself had propelled him into battle, and that was what Loki had counted on in this instance._

_But it seemed that not only had he underestimated Zak'Vael, but he'd managed to overestimated Thor, too._

_He had to rectify these mistakes before he got his brother killed._

_And quickly._

**N._s._.S**

**T** **he Space Dragon's flames stopped inches short from its target, and the dragon itself suddenly reared back and smashed into the ground with a mighty roar and a shake of the earth as it landed.**

Thor opened his eyes just on time to see what appeared to be wings of gold and ice-blue light wrap around them as the dragon reared with another jet of flame.

The flames that the dragon let loose at the flicking, gold and blue wings of light protecting the God of Thunder and his wife didn't affect it-

In fact, it actually _rebounded._

**"Destroy it."**

That powerful, deep voice resonated through the suddenly dead-silent area, and at its command, the blue tendrils of ice shot out at the dragon, which bolted back into the sky with another roar that could alone shatter the earth upon which they stood. But the ice, undeterred, followed the dragon into the air as it quickly took the form of a great, gargantuan, beautiful bird with burning eyes of gold.

The dragon and the bird of ice disappeared into the black sky as Thor heard footsteps behind him.

"Loki!"

"Do not act so surprised to see me, brother," Loki answered, coolly as he passed (and completely ignored) the staring eyes of those around them, even Odin's, as he knelt beside his brother, his gaze flicking over at their father only once before his startlingly bright, jade-green eyes settled to meet his brother's piercing azure gaze, "I promised you that I would return, did I not?"

"That you did," Thor answered, quietly, as Loki quickly averted his eyes to look down at Jane, who still lay lifelessly in her husband's arms, blissfully unaware of the danger that she and her husband had just narrowly escaped, "But that was but a dream."

Loki just shook his head at the God of Thunder's stunned response.

"Dreams and reality are, at times, on the same side of the coin," the God of Mischief countered, smartly, "And the object you carry in your pocket at this very moment is proof of that."

Instinctively, at the mention of the odd little green, glass ball he'd somehow forgotten all about until that very moment, Thor patted his pocket to ensure that the thing was, in fact, still there- but Loki paid this no mind as he continued to stare down at Jane, as if looking for something only he could see.

"May I?" He asked, his voice serious and quiet.

Thor nodded once in consent.

Loki slid off his black glove and threw it carelessly to the side as he reached out to touch the side of Jane's face, running two fingers over to the base of the neck.

"What are you doing?" Thor demanded, though he made no move to stop him.

"Saving her life."

Pressing two fingers into the base of the woman's neck, there was a sudden resurgence in Jane's breathing, and her eyes actually shot back open, though they were dark and tired.

 _"Ah ha,"_ Thor overheard Loki mutter, victoriously, _"There she is..."_

 _"Thor...?"_ Her voice was as weak as her eyes, but that didn't stop Thor from smiling down at her. Before he could say something, though, Loki beat him to it.

"Jane, you need to stay as still as possible."

For the first time, Jane seemed to notice Loki, even though he'd literally been in front of her, and instantly, her dark brown eyes filled with tears at the sight of him.

 _"He broke it!"_ She cried, with such stricken desperation that the startled God of Mischief actually snatched back his hand and drew back, eyes wide with shock, _"I could stop him!"_

"Broke what?" Thor tried, gently, answering for his stunned-silent brother, "Jane, broke what?"

Instead of answering, Jane only shakily reached into the pocket of her tattered, bloody dress, pulling out two oddly-shining objects and slowly holding them out to them.

It was Loki's sapphire dagger, the one Thor himself had made for him centuries ago.

It had been broken cleanly in two from the hilt.

 _"He broke it,"_ she told them, miserably, dropping her hand back down, causing the blades to fall to her side, clattering softly onto the bloodied, marble ground _, "I couldn't stop him."_

Thor looked quickly over at Loki, who quietly reached over to pick up the pieces of the broken weapon, the look in his jade-green eyes indiscernible as he slowly turned the blade portion quietly in his hand, over and over again, staring thoughtfully at it before returning his gaze to Jane.

"Zak'Vael did this," He questioned, his voice surprisingly calm, "Didn't he?"

Jane just nodded, but it was an unnecessary gesture.

Somehow, both brothers knew the answer already.

" _Damn_ him," Thor muttered, threateningly, "I will kill him myself!"

"Thor, hand me your hint," Loki said, paying the harsh oath no mind at all as he pocketed both pieces of the broken blade, "I need to see it."

Without even thinking to question him, Thor did as he was told, taking the little thing out of his pocket, carefully unwrapping it from the handkerchief protecting it before handing it over. The object flared bright gold instantly at Loki's touch, causing the God of Mischief to smile faintly as he turned it over in his hands, running a finger over the cracks and fissures running deep into its broken surface.

"Jane," Loki finally said, looking back up at the woman sitting up weakly in Thor's arms, "I am going to try to repair the damage Zak'Vael did-"

That was all Thor needed to step in.

"Sanat Eir should be the one to-"

"Sanat Eir is incapable of working with wounds of this sort," Loki interrupted, sharply, without even bothering to look at Thor as he added, almost cryptically, "I, however, am not."

**N._.s._.S**


	13. Filthy Blooded

**Chapter Thirteen: Filthy Blooded.**

**"You were tossed away like a pair of beautiful, brand-new shoes that did not quite fit."**

**\- Donna K. Childree.**

**B** **efore the eyes of Asgard, before the eyes of the Vael warriors that stood behind them, and before the gaze of his own brother, Loki Odinsson slowly lowered the bright green, glowing-glass object so that it lay just above Jane Foster's chest.**

"Brace yourself," Loki said her, softly, though Thor noticed that his furrow-browed gaze flickered to him for a fraction of a second rather than remain on Jane as he spoke, "This is probably going to hurt."

Jane's grip on Thor's hand only tightened, and she closed her eyes.

The odd little ball flashed gold at once as Loki set it down, and as soon as it touched her skin, the young woman's body tightened.

But she bit her lip, and didn't cry out.

 _Such a brave girl_ , _a fighter,_ Loki found himself thinking, _A perfect match for Thor, I think.  
_

The smile faded, though, as pain suddenly ripped through his body, causing the God of Mischief's shoulders to tense as his grasp over the still-glowing golden-green ball tightened forcefully.

"Loki-?" Thor began, but Loki cut him off with a harsh snap.

" _Hush!"_

That shut Thor right up as golden tendrils began to wrap around Loki's arms as they trailed over Jane's body. As soon as they touched her, though, the tips of them turned pitch black, as if corrupted, and as it spread, the bloodstain on Jane's dress began to enlarge as the wound on her chest reopened.

She cried out as the blackness began to trail up the snares of gold.

"Loki!" Thor snapped at him, unable to watch, "Stop-!"

" _Shut up!"_

At that moment, the blackness reached his brother, and for a split second, Thor witnessed his brother's eyes turn pure crimson, and the skin around his eyes darken to blue.

But even his _Frost Giant_ form didn't look right.

There were veins of black scattered all around his brother's face, thick and startlingly vibrant, and even as he flickered right back to his more recognizable, Human form, the black veins remained, and even began to grow as the tendrils began to creep down the side of his neck.

It was spreading much like poison.

At that moment, the golden tendrils, now dotted with the same blackness, retreated back into the glowing green glass as Loki jerked it back toward him, covering it with violently shaking hands as he clenched it tightly against his chest, head bowed and eyes closed.

Jane cried out again.

"Jane!"

In his arms, Jane had gone limp and silent, brown eyes open and black.

" _Damn_ him!" Loki hissed, his words forced and pained, "He Cursed her!"

"And that means _what_?" Thor snapped back, harsher than he meant to.

_It means that the Jotun is an even bigger imbecile than I imagined._

Both brothers looked up at the voice, and the entire yard went quieter than ever as Ceil Zak'Vael himself crossed the golden palace gates, accompanied by five tall figures-

The Black Hunt.

In the former King's hand, was a faintly-lit glass-like ball, much akin to the one Loki had.

Only instead of green, this one was bright, cerulean blue.

"No," Thor heard Loki murmur, sounding horrified, "It can't be."

**N._.s._.S**

**C** **arelessly, keeping his eyes trained on Thor and Loki both as he did so, Ceil Zak'Vael bounced the glass ball up and down in his palm, each time snatching the strange little object out of the air as it fell.**

_Yes,_ Zak'Vael repeated, quite calmly despite all the eyes on him, _A fool._

"What have you done?" Loki demanded of him, harshly, slowly getting back to his feet, ignoring Thor's half-hearted attempt to stop him.

 _Exactly as it looks,_ Zak'Vael answered, bouncing the cerulean ball in his palm again, as if it were nothing but a toy to him, _Or are you as blind as you are foolish?_

"No, it's not that," Loki replied with a shake of his head, his voice surprisingly pleasant despite the obvious tension slowly brewing up between him and the Vael standing before him, "It's just, before today, I couldn't have imagined one of the rulers of the Nine Worlds would be so weak that he would think nothing of using a woman to trap his enemies."

That finally seemed to catch the Vael's full attention, for he stopped messing with the glass-like ball and looked up at Loki, dark midnight blue eyes narrowing in unmistakable anger.

 _Laufeysson,_ The former King declared, slowly, after a long moment of silence, as the Black Hunt behind him glanced knowingly at each other, as they each, one after another, unsheathed their blades, _You must be either very confident, or foolishly desperate to challenge me again._

"Perhaps I am both," Loki answered, with a smile and a half-casual shrug of one shoulder as he took another step forward, "But I think you'll find that this time, our battle shall end quickly."

 _It will, for you,_ Zak'Vael swore, quietly, as he drew an elegant, silver rapier from the sheathe he carried on his back, _For your blood is still as filthy as it was the last time we fought._

There was a dark murmur through the crowds- and Loki noticed Odin's one good eye narrow in what could have been nothing but anger- as the former King spoke.

But Loki's reaction, was simply another smile.

"Filthy?" He said, with a smirk, "Is that what you think?"

 _What I know,_ Zak'Vael corrected, so scornfully that Thor could almost hear the distain dripping from his next few words, _For that is why even Laufey wouldn't have you in his hall!_

A sudden chill that could snuff out even the hottest of infernos settled over the whole yard at that one, snarled insult- and even Loki's shoulders suddenly tightened at it.

As silence reigned, Odin stepped forward, perhaps intent on rebuffing the former King's words.

But even he couldn't have predicted his adopted son's reaction to the remark a split second later.

Loki laughed.

It was a real laugh, not a scornful one, not even a taunting or remotely sarcastic one; it was as though he thought what Zak'Vael had said was merely a joke-

And an _absolutely hilarious_ one at that.

Loki's shoulders actually quaked with the vigor of his laughter, and he took several staggering steps back, shaking his head and doubling over as his audience looked on, utterly dumbstruck.

When the God of Mischief finally stopped laughing, the smile on his pale face never dipped, and he said something that made everyone in the vicinity go dead silent again.

"What should I care about what Laufey thought?" Loki said, so casually that one could have asked him what he thought about the weather at that moment and his tone would have been the same, "So he was my bloodkin. What of it? I am no more a friend of the Frost Giants than you."

 _That does not change the fact that you are still one of them- the son of Laufey besides,_ Zak'Vael answered, his voice calm and deadly as he added, _And it does not change that your blood is as filthy as theirs._

"Does it not?" Loki countered, simply, matching Zak'Vael's icy tone with a bitter one of his own, "I can think of a few people who would disagree with your petty logic."

 _Is that so?_ Zak'Vael inquired, his voice still unnervingly calm, even as he began to bounce the cerulean glass ball in his hand again, _I dare you to speak of them._

Loki didn't answer, and his narrow-eyed gaze followed the former King's movements as he reached into his pocket, taking out the cracked, faintly glowing green ball of his own.

As soon as Zak'Vael saw it, he stopped moving, and his eyes, too, narrowed.

 _You are a fool,_ He stated, lowering the hand that clenched the cerulean ball to his side, _Whatever it is you are planning to do with that, it will not work._

"Want to bet?" Loki answered, coolly.

And with that, he reached back into his pocket, and this time pulled out the broken blade of the dagger, twirling it once before, with a flourish, setting its point right on the surface of the glass.

"Your move."

**N._.s._.S**


	14. The Exchange

**Chapter Fourteen: The Exchange.**

**"A fair bargain leaves both sides unhappy."**

**\- George R.R. Martin.**

**"S** **ee, without this, I know that whatever it is you're planning on doing…"** Loki began, after letting Zak'Vael's silence continue on for a while, keeping the tip of the blade carefully against the glassy surface of the glowing jade ball and tapping it twice as he spoke, "Won't happen."

Zak'Vael actually _flinched_ when the tip of the blade hit the jagged surface of the sphere.

_You wouldn't dare!_ He declared, softly. _If you destroy that, then-_

"I don't care what your plan is, Zak'Vael, and I _really_ don't care what happens to this," Loki continued, interrupting the Vael with an oddly cordial voice and a half-smile, carelessly bouncing the faintly glowing, cracked jade-green ball up into the air to make his point, "In fact, I shall gladly give it to you-"

_"- Loki!"_ Thor hissed from beside him, "What are you-"

"- In exchange," the God of Mischief added, boldly, not giving even the slightest sign that he'd heard his brother's alarmed warning, "For that pretty blue one of yours."

_That_ certainly shut Thor right up.

And whatever it was Zak'Vael expected him to say or do...

It sure as hell wasn't that.

_Are you insane?_ The former King questioned, coolly, _Or are you simply an imbecile?_

"You're not the first one to ask me that, let me assure you," Loki told him, lightly, with yet another one of his bizarrely pleasant smiles as he tossed the little green sphere back up into the air once more, "But no matter, for even I'm not sure anymore."

_I see…_

Ceil Zak'Vael's midnight blue eyes narrowed as he looked from Loki, to the strange little ball in his hand, and finally to the bright, cerulean one he held in his own, as if he were mulling over everything the God of Mischief had told him before making his decision.

_Do not believe that freely handing me your soul in return for this woman's changes anything in the slightest, Laufeysson,_ Zak'Vael finally told him, coldly, _For it does not._

"I take it we have a deal, then?"

_We do._

With that, Ceil Zak'Vael turned his head toward his five minions, and gave them each a short nod, causing all five of the warriors, in unison with practiced flourishes, to sheath their blades and, one by one, turn their backs on the palace of gold and simply walk away, disappearing through the gate.

The tension that followed as the members of the Black Hunt disappeared was broken quickly as Ceil Zak'Vael suddenly began walking toward Loki, keeping a firm grasp over the cerulean blue orb as he approached- and Loki mirrored his movements by matching his steps, moving away from Thor and Jane, who had remained completely still during this exchange despite Thor's repeated outbursts.

Even though the Vael stood taller than Loki by nearly two full feet, the God of Mischief still managed to look almost imposing as he approached the former Honored King.

The way they were looking at each other, dead in the other's eyes, brilliant jade against furious, dark blue, promised their vendetta was far from over.

The next time they met, it would mean a true battle-

A battle that would certainly spell the death of one of them.

Loki slowly held out the green sphere, and Zak'Vael, quite unexpectedly a man of his word, held out the cerulean one in return without even the slightest bit of hesitation.

"This isn't over," Loki swore, fiercely, as he took the blue orb, "I promise you, it isn't."

_Oh, I agree, Laufeysson,_ Zak'Vael declared, mildly, as he took the jade one from Loki's outstretched palm, _This shall never be over, not until the day you lay dead at my feet.  
_

"I look forward to the day," Loki answered with another cold nod, "But I'm afraid I won't be so easy to kill."

_Of course you won't- but this time,_ Zak'Vael stepped back at that moment as he answered, holding up the jade-green ball, _I have something I didn't last time._

"That won't do you much good," Loki cautioned him, seriously, "You cannot control that which will never bow to you."

_We shall see._

With that, Ceil Zak'Vael turned his back on Loki Odinsson, and walked away, quietly tossing the jade-green, cracked little soul up and down in his palm as he trotted through the gates and disappeared, without so much as a second glance back at the man he had long-since vowed to destroy.

**N._.s._.S**

**W** **isely, Loki waited until he was sure that Ceil Zak'Vael was gone before he turned back.** The bizarre smile he'd worn throughout his meeting with Zak'Vael had finally vanished; replaced with a serious, tight line that accented his suddenly pale face. Quickly, he made his way back to Thor, all as Odin, Eir, and Axel Hernsson all immediately brushed through the crowd to meet them.

"Loki, what was that about?" Thor demanded of him as soon as his brother was within earshot.

"It doesn't concern you," Loki replied, his voice oddly impatient and tense, "What matters right now is-"

_"Loki."_

At the All-Father's somehow piercing voice, Loki immediately looked over his shoulder at him, and there was a flash of what could only have been pain in his eyes as he met his father's bright, shrewd gaze.

"I will explain everything to the best of my ability," Loki instantly relented, though he quickly averted his eyes from his father's as he spoke, "For now, though; we need to get Jane to the Med Wing."

Odin looked over at Eir, breaking his gaze from his son at last as the old Medic-turned-General merely nodded as he took in the woman's still, bloodied form.

Thor kept his gaze on Loki as he finally stood up, keeping Jane in his arms.

"You better," was all the God of Thunder said to him.

Loki didn't answer as Axel Hernsson merely, silently sheathed his blade and looked out to the ajar golden gates.

_Odinsson,_ he declared, so suddenly that it caused the God of Mischief to quickly turn back to face him, _You have doomed us all by letting him go._

"No," Loki answered, so quietly that no one but the new Honored King could hear, "Only myself."

Hernsson's bright, maroon eyes never left Loki's back as the young God entered the palace.

**N._.s._.S**


	15. To Save a Life I

**Chapter Fifteen: To Save a Life I.**

" **What is heroic, is not making life any harder that it has to be."  
\- ****Marty Rubin** **.**

**T** **o say that the uncomfortable, dead silence that followed the small group all the way to the Med Wing was tense would have been a huge understatement.**

"You are unharmed?"

Odin, for some inexplicable reason, felt the need to ask his adopted son question after question, and while Thor personally appreciated their father's concern for Loki, as they mirrored and ultimately somewhat satisfied his own, he knew all they were doing was agitating Loki further, and this was proven when, as they continued on, his brother's tone grew more and more terse.

"Yes."

"And you already realize everything Zak'Vael told you were merely lies?"

_"Yes."_

After that one, though, Loki's patience with them all finally waned, and he simply fell back and trailed behind, clearly ignoring the All-Father's concern.

His shoulders and jaw were set in obvious, growing unease, and he outright refused to even look at any of them, especially Thor or Odin, going as so far as to stubbornly fold his arms tightly, impatiently, across his chest, and plant his feet firmly on the ground, literally forcing them to move ahead of them, knowing Jane's life hung in the balance and they couldn't afford to waste any time.

His mounting tension only grew worse as they approached the Wing. Normally, Sanat Eir never allowed onlookers in with his patients other than his staff, with the special (and extremely rare) exception of the All-Father himself, and knowing this, Thor silently, obediently, allowed Jane's still form to be taken from his arms and laid gently onto a stretcher brought out by one of Eir's underlings when it approached him.

Loki, however, made to enter the Wing, following right behind Jane's stretcher, only to be stopped by Eir with a warning, almost threatening fling of the old man's staff right in front of the door, inches from Loki's chest, effectively blocking the God of Mischief's path and predictably, causing Loki to protest.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Loki's tone was even angrier than it had been in the yard, but the suddenly deadly silent, old Medic was completely unfazed by the challenge, merely kept his staff up across the doorframe.

Sensing trouble right off the bat, Thor immediately stepped forward.

"Brother, Eir knows what he's-"

"No," Loki interrupted, venomously, looking right at Eir as he spoke, "No, he doesn't."

Sanat Eir's dark brows rose in surprise at that insolent remark, though his steely eyes flashed in clear, growing irritation at it, and he looked over at Odin, as if expecting him to step in.

"Loki," Odin began, cautiously, "You must be reasonable-"

" _Reasonable?"_ That, at least, caused Loki to turn away from the Medic to face his father, albeit clearly shocked with his perceived opposition, "You want me to be _reasonable_ while Jane lays at death's door and I, the only one who can-"

"- _Only_ one?" That remark was all it took to finally fire Eir up, _"Only?!"_

 _I would suggest you let him through, Sanat,_ Axel spoke up, after a brief, maroon-eyed glance at the God of Mischief from the corner he had nestled himself in, safe from the budding conflict, _If Jane Foster's soul is not returned to her within the next hour, there will be even less of a chance to save her._

"It is this she needs," Loki said, as he looked back at the Medic, holding up the glowing, cerulean ball as he spoke, "Without this, you only mend her physical body, not that which was truly wounded."

"She be bled out if I ever seen it!" Sanat Eir had gone pale with anger by now, and Loki's words next few words only infuriated the old Medic further, "What she needs is _proper_ attention!"

"Do not impede forces you do not understand!" The God of Mischief retorted with a dangerous snarl, his voice deadly low as he added, "Much less with those you do not care to!"

" _Why, you insolent-!"_

"Loki, if you explained what you meant to Eir instead of insulting him," Odin finally intervened, stepping between the irate Medic and his younger son in an attempt to mediate the quickly escalating argument (and pull them apart at the same time), "I'm sure he'd be more willing to listen to you!"

That seemed to reach Loki's anger at last, and his suddenly thoughtful, jade eyes darted down to the odd little cerulean ball in his hand before his shoulders loosened a little.

But, for the first time, the silver-tongued God of Mischief seemed completely lost for words.

"Let him pass."

It was Thor who had spoken up, easily cutting through his brother's stricken silence as he turned to Eir, thoughtfully taking care to not look his brother in the eyes as he looked over him.

Eir shot a look over at Odin, and then looked down at Loki, who, surprisingly, held his ground and stared up into the old Medic's eyes.

The General-turned-Medic must have seen a reason he could accept in Loki's eyes, for he suddenly swung his staff back to the ground, and, without another word, let all of them through.

All except Axel, who remained nestled comfortably in his corner, silent and calm even as the door slammed shut before his narrowed, knowingly bright, maroon eyes.

**N._.s._.S**

" **I** **don't know what you're planning on doing,"** Eir said, shortly, evidently still not happy about having so many spectators in his Wing, "But you'd better do it quickly."

"Don't worry," Loki answered, coldly, "This won't take long."

He glanced at Thor as he passed him as he quietly took his place beside Jane's bed, and actually managed a small smile and a single, almost appreciative nod before quickly looking away again.

But it was with that one glance that Thor saw it.

The pain, buried deep behind his brother's tired jade eyes.

Pain that, he was now certain, silently consumed him.

Without even an explanation of what he was doing, but trusting that none of those behind him would stop him without good reason, Loki held out the little cerulean ball over Jane with both hands, closing his dark eyes and letting out a breath that no one even realized he'd been holding.

Almost instantly, familiar-looking thin tendrils of gold began to slowly emerge from the cerulean orb, unhindered by the glass impeding it. They wrapped immediately around Loki's wrists and trailed down towards the blanket covering Jane, and Loki seemed to relax a little at their appearance.

"Thor," Loki said, suddenly, turning his head to glance at Thor again, his voice slightly brighter than it had been since his return, though still slightly sharp, "You'll be happy to know that Jane's stronger than most Humans- there's not even a scratch on her, not even where Zak'Vael pierced her with his Curse."

Before Thor could actually respond, Loki turned away again.

"That means while she was indeed wounded in the fight, she managed to fight him off before he could do any real damage at all… _interesting_ ," Loki seemed to be speaking more to himself than he was to those around him now, "That should mean also that Zak'Vael's Curse wasn't directed to her."

"What's all this talk of a Curse?" Eir spoke up, before either Thor or Odin could ask him first.

"All Vael magic is based in their language, which is why it was so hard for me to figure it out when they attacked the first time," Loki answered, quickly, as the tendrils of gold slowly began inching over his shoulders, like odd-looking, squirming vines, "All accounts on the Vael's abilities had been destroyed, and the only other copies in existence are located in the Jotunheim."

"Which is why you disappeared," Thor concluded, triumphantly, watching in both curiosity and half unease as the strange little tendril wrapped itself like a snake around his brother's neck, "To find them."

From where he stood, Thor could see that Loki actually smiled when he said that.

"Laufey didn't trust the Vael, even after they were banished during the Thrice War," Loki told them, turning his head to look over at Thor again, still smiling a little, "I figured that there was just no way he would have let Borr destroy all the information on them."

"That's… actually very plausible," Eir said, slowly, almost guiltily, "All the information we could find on the Vael was indeed destroyed, or hidden, on Borr's orders after the Vaelheim's banishment, but it was very likely Laufey was quick enough to get what he wanted before it actually happened."

"See?" Loki said, looking back at Jane again, "I know what I'm doing."

"What I want to know," Odin cut in, before Eir could reply, "Was how you managed to figure all this out on your own. Your information was- and remains- forbidden."

"Forbidden _here_ ," Loki answered, without looking back this time, "But not in the Jotunheim."

"How did you get in? Laufey-"

"Was my bloodkin," Loki interrupted, almost bitterly; "I can easily pass off as him, no one would be any the wiser- and in the Jotunheim, there was no one and nothing left to stop me."

By this time, Loki had let the little orb go. It was floating in the air with nothing holding it up, with the tendrils of gold still reaching out across the room, still wrapping itself quietly around the God of Mischief and beginning to inch out toward the others.

"Touching them won't harm you," Loki assured his brother when Thor stepped out of one's way, "Actually, it would be better for her if you _did_ let them touch you."

"What are these?"

"Extensions," Loki said, simply, "They're like little feelers, actually. It's their job to identify between friend and foe while the soul heals itself and sinks back into the body."

"And I take it this was one of the things you learned in the Jotunheim?" Thor answered, as he poked one of the tendrils. It was warm, like those Loki's had emitted, but stronger, hotter, like it had more energy inside it than the kind his brother's had.

"No," Loki answered, quietly, "Not from there."

"How long should it take for it to return?"

"I don't know."

"You don't _know?_ "

"All souls are different," The God of Mischief withdrew from the soul then, making the little feelers unwrap around him, "Some are stronger, others weaker, others between. It would be presumptuous of me to tell you how strong Jane's is when it is almost impossible."

"Then what happens now?"

"We wait, let Eir do his job," Loki's eyes flashed to Eir's before he looked back over at his brother, "And prepare for Zak'Vael's return."

"So he is coming back?"

That at least earned Thor a weary chuckle.

"Yes, Thor. And we'd best be prepared when he does."

**N._.s._.S**


	16. An Argument

**Chapter Sixteen: An Argument.**

**"Why do people always assume that volume will succeed when logic won't?**

**\- L.J. Smith.**

**Of course, Loki didn't get far from the Med Wing before Thor caught up to him.**

"Loki!"

He had managed to slip out unseen while Thor remained with Odin and Eir, who assured them that he would alert them to any changes in Jane's condition, even if it seemed like it was nothing of importance. It was the sharp-eyed old Medic who saw Loki's escape in the first place, and pointed it out, but it was Thor who decided to go after him.

The God of Mischief stopped short at the foot of the stairs leading up to the Wing when Thor called out for him, but for some reason, he didn't bother to turn to face his brother as he came up quickly behind him.

"Don't think you can get away so easily, brother," Thor said, sounding bizarrely cheerful as he attempted to grab him by the shoulder. Predictably, Loki was quicker than him, and expertly stepped out of the God of Thunder's reach as he turned to face him at last.

And so Thor finally got a good look at him.

Loki was paler than Thor had ever seen him, as though all the blood had been recently drained from his face. Underneath his dimly lit jade eyes were deep, shadowed lines of obvious weariness.

And those damned strange, but near unnoticeable, black veins dotted around his gaunt face gave him an even more haunted look.

Not to mention he was still so tense, despite his exhaustion.

It was like he expected a fight.

"Loki," Thor said, again, out of lack for anything else to say, and Loki's brows furrowed at him, slowly crossing his arms across his chest as he looked him over again, this time slowly, cautiously, "Are you all right?"

Stupid, _stupid_ thing to ask.

That was practically begging Loki to lie to his face.

He was clearly _not okay_.

The look in his brother's face darkened at his brother's question, and his shoulders grew, if possible, even tenser, and for a moment, it looked like he was going to say something-

But thought better of it.

Instead, his brother turned sharply on his heels, and started to walk away again.

_"Loki!"_

_"What?"_ Loki snapped, losing patience at last as Thor caught up to him again, his voice almost shaking with a mix of emotions that Thor didn't have a chance at sorting though, "What is it?"

Loki stopped walking, and turned again, though this time he didn't bother crossing his arms.

"What do you want?" He demanded, angerily, raising his voice a little when Thor didn't answer, as though he thought his older brother hadn't heard him the first time, "I don't have time for this!"

"What happened?" Thor finally found his voice, and it was stronger, louder than he thought, "Brother, what did Zak'Vael do to you?"

Loki's eyes instantly brightened with what could have only been pain, and he looked quickly away.

"Thor," He said, refusing to look at him, "Let it go. That's not important right now."

"It _is_ important," Thor insisted, "I know it is."

"So just because you linger on it, makes it more important?" Loki challenged, "If that is so, focus on Zak'Vael, and maybe then you'll have a chance at beating him!"

"I don't care about Zak'Vael if it means you suffer for it!" Thor shot back, firing up instantly with the jab, "Tell me what happened, so I can help you!"

"Your help is the last thing I need right now," Loki countered, resentfully, "Seeing that you can't understand the obvious, even when it's right in front of you!"

 _"What does that mean?!"_ Thor demanded of him, hurt and angered at the same time.

" _Do I have to spell it out?!"_

They were both shouting at this point, but neither seemed to care.

"You, you imbecile!" Loki snapped, "You're hopeless! You don't get it, do you? You have no chance against Zak'Vael, and this, _this_ right here, is the reason why! You act on emotion and raw anger- nothing more! Had I not been watching over the two of you before Zak'Vael attacked, you and Jane would be dead right now!"

The hurt fell away to anger at his brother's words.

" _Don't_ bring Jane into this!" Thor retorted, and his fists actually clenched, "Don't you dare-"

"Oh, right, _now_ I get it," Loki interrupted, sarcastically holding up his hands in front of him in mock surrender, "Don't bring up your failures! Because that will make you _feel_ bad, right?!"

"This has nothing to do with-"

"This has everything to do with it!" Loki cried, "Everything! For all you've been through, you haven't learned a thing! You act on your emotions, and that is what makes you vulnerable!"

"What would you have me do?" Thor shot back.

"I want you to think!" Loki retorted, " _Think!_ Or is that too much for me to ask? If you hadn't lost control of Mjolnir today, then Zak'Vael wouldn't be out there right now! I would have been able to stop him instead of risking everything to save you!"

"I didn't-"

"You left _your wife_ practically defenseless in the Courtyard today, Thor!" Loki deadpanned, "That's comparable to what Sif did when the Space Dragon attacked!"

"Sif left her _knowing_ what was out there!" Thor shouted, "I didn't!"

"You left her alone knowing Ceil Zak'Vael was coming- I warned you!" Loki's voice rose higher than his brother's, albeit hoarser, "You can't tell me you didn't know he'd go after her!"

"I'm telling you, I didn't!"

"Then you're an even bigger fool than I thought!" Loki declared, fiercely, "If you can't even guess that your enemy will attack your weaknesses, then _I can't trust you_!"

"That isn't true!"

"Yes, it is, Thor! How can I trust you've got my back when you don't understand the basics of war?" Loki demanded, his voice sounding both pained and harsh at the same time, as if it hurt him to say these things, "I can't! It would be like letting him take control, for all the good it'll do!"

Loki actually stumbled away from him in blind anger now, putting a clenched, gloved fist over his chest, as though he were in pain, before suddenly continuing his rant before Thor even had a chance to respond.

"You don't stand a chance in hell against Zak'Vael!" He was truly shouting now, and his voice echoed like thunder across the golden hall they stood in, "You don't get it! For all your strength, power, and high-and-mighty talk, you still know absolutely nothing!"

" _I don't know what you're talking about!"_

Before Loki had a chance to react, Thor grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him close, practically so they were nose-to-nose.

" _I. Don't. Know_ ," Thor said through clenched teeth, _"What you're talking about!"_

"Then you'd best figure it out before you get everyone killed!" Loki spat, as Thor shoved him away.

Thrown off balance, Loki stumbled weakly against the wall across from Thor, and had to use it for support before he collapsed. Instantly, Thor's anger melted away just as suddenly as it had come when he saw the all-but defeated, utterly exhausted look in his brother's eyes, but when he stepped toward him, Loki gave him a withering, threatening glare as he defiantly pushed himself off the wall and to his feet.

"It's not my fault you _don't know_ ," Loki said, harshly, "I _told_ you-"

"You told me nothing!" Thor snapped back, "You gave me a cryptic letter and a knife! Sure, you wrote me a letter telling me that the Vael were coming, but beyond that, you haven't _told me_ anything!"

"I didn't know it was necessary!" Loki countered, darkly, "If I'd have known I'd had to spell it out-"

_"Spell what out?"_

Thor's voice thundered throughout the golden hall, even over the thud of Loki's back hitting the wall as Thor all but threw him against it, shaking the entire room with the force of the blow.

"Spell what out, brother?!" Thor demanded of him, as his brother struggled against his grasp, "You've told everyone nothing! You've only ignored our concern-"

"I don't _need_ your concern!" Loki snarled back, "I need you to _be prepared_!"

_"For what?!"_

_**CRASH!** _

Thor landed sprawled on his side against the wall and Loki fell back against the wall again, coughing. The God of Mischief had managed to kick him full force in the chest with surprising strength, sending his older brother flying across the hall and into the other side of the wall where he'd trapped Loki.

"I needed you to be prepared for everything," Loki finally said, as he slowly got back to his feet, forcing himself up before Thor could reach him again, "For everything you're about to face…"

As Thor finally got back up to his feet, stunned, Loki was already rounding the corner, leaving him alone in the hall, his voice still echoing haughtily across the hall as he disappeared.

" _But it seems like I'm wasting what little time I've got left."_

Defeated, and barely even comprehending what had just happened, only knowing that Loki was angry (and in pain), Thor cast the corner where Loki had disappeared a strangely helpless look, before turning on his heel and heading dejectedly back to the Med Wing.

On the way up the stairs, he happened to meet Axel Hernsson, who let the God of Thunder pass without a word.

**N._.s._.S**


	17. A Liar's Requiem I

**Chapter Seventeen: A Liar's Requiem I.**

" **One lie has the power to tarnish a thousand truths."**

**\- Al David.**

**Y** **ou hurt him.**

"I did."

_You don't seem too broken up about it._

"I'm not."

_Is that so?_

"I didn't have a choice."

During the short exchange, Loki Odinsson doesn't move from his spot on the balcony. He stood with his arms folded tightly across his chest, tense and quiet. His dark jade eyes don't even glance over at Axel Hernsson even as the Vael approaches him, which causes Hernsson to simply tilt his head silently at him in both outward curiosity and growing impatience.

_You don't truly believe that._

"Don't I?"

 _No, you don't,_ Axel stated, mildly, _Because you simply aren't thinking straight._

" _I'm_ not thinking?" Loki retorted, sharply, finally turning back to face him in evident surprise, "You heard what I told Thor. As far as I know, I'm the only one capable of dealing with Zak'Vael right now."

_You and I both know that you facing Zak'Vael yourself was never an option._

"No," Loki shifted uncomfortably and shook his head, as if trying to convince himself, "No, I _don't_ know that anymore."

 _Loki Odinsson, your soul is currently being pounded into oblivion by a man who will do almost anything to kill you,_ Axel said, quietly, _And you thought your best option was to take your fears, and anger, out on the one- the only one mind you- who has a chance of beating him?_

"I told Thor about my soul," Loki protested, quietly, "I told him everything."

_Did you? Or did you assume he knew?_

"He saw-"

_It isn't about what he saw, it's about what he knows._

"I… I can't tell him." Loki's head bowed a little as he said it, "I can't do this to them again."

W _hat can't you do?_

"I've caused Odin and Thor so much pain already- with my betrayal and with everything else that's happened recently," Loki's voice lowered as he added, bitterly, "And now, I literally just handed my own soul over to a maniac."

_You did that to save your brother and Jane. They cannot blame you for it._

"And they _won't_. Instead, Thor will go after Zak'Vael, get himself killed, and doom everyone else."

_You don't know that._

"But I _do_ know my brother," Loki said, softly, "And he is a slave to his emotions."

_And you to your thoughts._

Loki didn't answer.

 _Listen to me, Odinsson,_ Axel said, after a moment of contemplative silence, _Even if, by some miracle of miracles, Zak'Vael is stopped and your soul is returned to you, you are still going to die, no matter what.  
_

"I know that. Vael Curses are unbreakable."

They were unbreakable for just one reason, really.

Because words could never be taken back.

Ever.

And all Vael Curses were, were words.

Words with a little evil magic thrown in, of course.

_Then think about it for a moment, then, and you'll understand what I'm getting at._

No answer.

 _Perhaps they can live not knowing,_ Axel said, his voice surprisingly gentle, _But can you really bear dying without telling them? Will you let them mourn you, yet again, for no just cause? Let them hope for a return that, this time, will for certain never happen?_

Again; no answer.

 _That's not fair,_ Axel finally said, _It's not fair to them, and it's certainly not fair for yourself._

"Why do you care?" Loki finally asked, quietly, "Why do you tell me all this?"

 _Because I know what it is like to lose someone to something like this,_ Axel said with a short nod, _My father was murdered by Curse, and I was forced to watch him rot without ever knowing what was happening. And I'll tell you right now, if you don't tell your father or brother, you may as well Curse them yourself, because that's what they'll both be doing to themselves for the rest of their lives._

"Why would they blame themselves for what I did?"

 _It's a logical response as you watch someone you love die,_ Axel replied, with a simple shrug of his shoulders as he leaned against the door-frame, _They both love and care about you, and would gladly switch places with you; regardless of whether you believe that or not. And I can personally swear to you that Odin and Thor wouldn't hesitate to do everything within their power to save you, as futile as it would be._

Loki looked back at him for the third time.

 _When I first came here, your brother was all but ready to enter the Vaelheim, risking war and death, even after he already knew you were coming back,_ He pointed out with a sharp nod, _And Odin would have let him._

Again, Loki didn't answer, and he looked away for the umpteenth time.

 _You told your brother he let his emotions dictate his actions and challenged him over it,_ Axel said, seriously, _And yet, now you have done the very same thing. How very hypocritical of you._

"I didn't do it deliberately."

_I'm sure that he didn't either._

"He does it all the time."

 _That is a child's response,_ Axel chided, though he chuckled with amusement at the answer, _Your brother's emotions are what makes him strong- they allow his powers to fluctuate and thus do things that otherwise would be impossible for him. Yours, on the other hand, ignite the insanity that lays dormant in the back of your mind; and saps whatever remains of your strength._

_... And what's incredible, is that you know this._

Loki merely bowed his head and nodded a little.

"I do."

_Then why did you try to put the blame on him? Why did you allow your emotions to run away and ignite that psychosis that you fear so much?_

"I was angry," Loki murmured, "I didn't know what else to say... I couldn't tell him the truth, so I just..."

 _You picked a fight with him, one that you knew you could win,_ Axel responded, his voice growing grave, _And in doing so, you alienated the very person you needed the most._

"I know."

_So? What will you do now?_

"I don't know."

_You don't know?_

Loki simply shook his head, and looked away for what Axel knew would be the last time.

_Then you'd best figure it out before you get everyone killed._

Loki's shoulders suddenly slumped and he flinched, as if what Axel said had wounded him.

And as Axel left, he heard something that proved he'd finally gotten through to him.

It was a sob.

Barely audible and muffled, of course, but it was there.

So, with his job done, Axel Hernsson left the God of Mischief alone.

He hoped he'd figure out how to correct his mistake soon.

**N._.s._.S**

**A** **xel slipped into the massive, golden throne-room and slowly closed the door. Thankfully, the normally booming, gargantuan golden doors shut silently.**

And as he turned, he found Odin himself standing behind him, waiting.

 _"How did it go?"_ The old All-Father asked, knowingly, as Axel leaned against the closed doors.

_I spoke with him._

_"And?"_

_Judging by the way he reacted,_ Axel began, shortly, _You were right about everything you told me. He did know he's going to die, even if Zak'Vael is defeated, and he was very upset about everything that happened today; so he took it out, and blamed it all, on Thor._

Odin sighed, and nodded once. _"Of course. I expected nothing less."_

_So you knew of him being a Soulless from the beginning?_

_"I was born long before the Thrice War," Odin pointed out, quietly, "I know well what Zak'Vael is capable of."_

_And you just let Loki believe you didn't all this time?_

_"I wanted him to tell me himself."_

_And when he didn't…_

_"I simply took matters into my own hands."_

_That's manipulative,_ Axel declared, though calmly, _Brilliant, but still very manipulative._

 _"Perhaps,"_ Odin answered, _"But still necessary."_

 _Yes, necessary indeed,_ Axel agreed, _That poor boy is dying of guilt- that kind of pain will kill him faster than Zak'Vael. He could eventually end up killing himself with it if left unattended.  
_

_"I know. That's why I sent you to help him try to alleviate it before it was too late."_

_Do you think he'll tell Thor himself?_

_"I hope he will,"_ Odin replied, _"But we must never believe we have Loki at our whim."_

 _Oh?_ Axel looked back at the All-Father with renewed interest, _And why's that?_

_"Because he is my son, through and through."_

Axel let himself chuckle and shake his head at that. _You think either of them really have a chance against Zak'Vael?_

_"I never doubted either of them for a second."_

_Of course you didn't._

**N._.s._.S**


	18. The Truth I

**Chapter Eighteen: The Truth I.**

**"See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."**

**\- Anonymous.**

**H** **e didn't know what to do anymore.  
**

And it was slowly driving him insane.

Loki Odinsson paced silently back and forth on the marble balcony, continuously raking his long, pale fingers tensely through his shoulder-length, raven-black black hair in clear, growing, and almost frightening, agitation.

His mind was racing faster than it had in a long time- none of his thoughts were completely coherent; in fact, he couldn't even follow them himself anymore, they were moving so fast- tumbling over each other and constantly changing track after track, pushing the God of Mischief closer to the edge.

Axel had left after his last, biting remark had left Loki in tears, and it had taken hours for him just to regain control over his emotions after that.

And even now, he still didn't have a complete hold over them.

He just didn't have the strength to handle them anymore.

Added onto that, he was completely haunted by what he'd said (and done) to his brother.

To Thor.

_You'd best figure it out before you get everyone killed._

Suddenly, Loki stopped his manic, restless pacing and looked desperately out over the darkening skies high over the beautiful city of gold, as if it held the answer he was looking for; letting his hands fall, almost dejectedly, back to his sides as his thoughts quietly dispersed.

 _Weak,_ A darker, malicious voice spoke up without warning, in the back of his mind breaking the restless strings of thoughts; _I can't believe how weak you have allowed yourself to become.  
_

The God of Mischief slowly backed into the wall of the balcony and lowered himself onto the marble floor, burying his face tiredly into his shaking hands.

_Weak._

"Shut up," Loki replied, resignedly, "Just..."

_Weak!_

Loki simply closed his eyes, and the voice was lost in the tides of memories again, lost in the rush of suffocating blackness as the God of Mischief fell into a deep, exhausted unconsciousness.

**N._.s._.S**

**I** **t was very, very late by the time Thor left the Med Wing, shooed away by Sanat Eir himself.**

"You won't help her, or anyone else, by staying here all night," Eir told him, quite kindly, apparently having forgiven his and Loki's disrespect earlier that day, "I will let you know if something changes."

As he walked through the empty corridor, head down and as quickly as possible, Loki's angry voice still lingered in his ears, and as he headed around the same corner where his brother had disappeared after the argument, the God of Thunder looked back at the empty hall, and sighed quietly, wearily.

_You don't get it, do you?_

His brother couldn't have meant it.

_You act on your emotions, and that is what makes you vulnerable!_

He couldn't have.

 _If you can't even guess that your enemy will attack your weaknesses, then_ _I can't trust you!_

_You don't have a chance in hell against Zak'Vael!_

Thor hoped he didn't.

Even during his various betrayals and his attack on Earth, Thor had rarely ever seen Loki lash out like this, and even when he did; it had never been like this. Sure, his brother had done some terrible, heinous things, but _never_ had he been so spiteful, so unabashedly hurtful, with his words.

That just wasn't how Loki did things.

It wasn't how he spoke, to _anyone_ , regardless of if, and how much, he hated them or not.

And especially not now, after everything that had happened to him.

_Thor Odinsson?_

Jerked from his troubled thoughts without warning, Thor looked up instantly, and drew back in shock when he found a pair of bright maroon eyes staring right at him through the darkness of the hall.

 _Relax,_ Axel Hernsson said, though he seemed amused with the God's reaction, and his eyes flashed with clear mirth, though he only added, quite calmly, _Where are you coming from?_

"I can ask the same of you."

 _I came from a meeting with the All-Father,_ Axel told him, folding his arms, as if he were offended at Thor's response, and his maroon eyes narrowed with the displeasure, _What of you?_

"The Med Wing."

_How fares your wife?_

"Eir repaired the outward damage with little trouble- it wasn't as bad as it looked," Thor answered, and his voice relaxed a little as he continued, "He believes she shall make a full recovery within days."

 _That is good to know,_ Axel said, thoughtfully, _Though it continues to amaze me that a mere Human could be so strong. To defeat a Curse is an incredibly rare feat, even within the Vaelheim._

"Humans are too often underestimated," Thor countered, rather bitterly, "Several of the strongest warriors and friends I know all hail from Earth."

 _Is that so?_ Axel blinked, and he unfolded his arms, _It's interesting how that works. Humans are the least powerful, both physically and mentally, of all beings in the Nine Realms, yet their almost ordinary fellows are near second to none when it comes to valor._

Thor didn't answer as Axel continued, his voice growing serious again.

_Anyway, on to the real reason why I wanted to speak to you._

"Which is?"

_I thought you'd like to know that I spoke with your brother this evening._

Thor turned back sharply to the Vael with renewed interest at those words.

 _I overheard the argument between the two of you this afternoon,_ Axel began, with a careless shrug, _And thought that it was odd that Loki would say such things when, as far as I know, they were far from the truth. So, I went to check on him, and I was not disappointed._

"What do you mean?"

_Your brother did not mean the things he said to you._

"He said that?"

_That and more._

"So he _didn't_ mean it," Thor said, quietly, with no small relief, "What else did he say?"

 _I'm afraid that's what you'll have to bring up with him yourself- though,_ Axel added, with a short nod as he unfolded his arms again, _You might want to wait until morning to see him._

"Why?"

_Because your brother is nowhere near as strong as he makes himself out to be._

And with that, Axel Hernsson walked away and disappeared into the dark, leaving Thor alone to contemplate those words.

**N._.s._.S**


	19. A Liar's Requiem II

**Chapter Nineteen: A Liar's Requiem II.**

" **One lie has the power to tarnish a thousand truths."**

**\- Al David.**

**L** **oki woke slowly and painfully that morning.** He felt heavy and drained, and it took several attempts for him to get to his feet without falling over.

As he went back into the room, he picked up the cloak he'd thrown onto the bed last night and refastened it over his shoulders with a small, gold pin from his pocket before sitting down and slowly running his hand through his dark hair and taking deep, calming breaths of air before getting up again.

The malevolent voice from the back of his mind had been extinguished with sleep, and while Loki could still feel it there, as always, he knew it wouldn't- and couldn't- resurface again for a while.

He was just too weak for that now.

While he had slept a dreamless sleep, unconsciousness had numbed the pain, but now that he was up and about again, it returned mercilessly and, above all, slowed him down. Even as he went downstairs, he had to be careful to keep a hand on the railing, lest he fall and hurt himself.

He spotted Odin just reentering the palace through the gargantuan, open doors, and made his way toward him, calling out when the All-Father didn't see him.

"Have you seen Thor?" Loki inquired of him as he approached, keeping his voice as leveled as he could, "I need to speak with him."

Odin's one good, bright azure eye looked him up and down, and Loki had the feeling that, as always, his father could see right through him.

"Your brother has not come down."

Loki nodded once in thanks and turned to leave, but was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder.

"My son," Odin said, quietly, so that only Loki could hear, "You do not look well."

"I'm fine," Loki answered, matching his father's tone as he turned back to him, adding as calmly as he could despite the fact that he was lying right to his father's face, "Really."

Odin's bright eye flashed, and it was then Loki knew for certain his father knew he was lying.

Again.

But, incredibly, the All-Father didn't call him out on it.

"Come, then," Odin said, keeping his unwavering gaze on Loki as he released him, "There is much to do before Ceil Zak'Vael returns."

Before Loki could protest, Odin led him away.

**N._.s._.S**

_**C**_ _ **eil Zak'Vael took a heavy loss with his Space Dragon,**_ Axel said with a sharp nod in Loki's direction, _But we still have to deal with the Black Hunt._

"And Zak'Vael himself," Loki added, from his place near the door, folding his arms quietly over his chest as he added, "And this time, he won't be talked down."

 _He wasn't talked down,_ Axel pointed out, flatly, _You simply gave him what he wanted.  
_

"What I want to know," Eir spoke up, before Loki could reply, "Is what he plans to do with it now that he has it."

"It's not what I gave him that he wanted, at least not specifically," Loki said, slowly, leaning wearily against the door-frame, "It's what is inside it. He has to break it in order to get what he's really after."

"And that entails killing you?"

"No," This time, Loki's voice was sharp as he looked over at Odin, whose eyes flashed oddly at Eir's question, "Even if he manages to break my soul, that doesn't mean he can kill me. That's why he and his son Cursed me in the first place. My life was just a bonus to them."

 _But even if he doesn't kill you, when- if-_ Axel amended quickly when he met Odin's stare- _He breaks it, the shock of it will eventually. And if it's not the shock, the pain will drive you mad.  
_

"But just what was is it he wants from you?" Eir demanded, impatiently, "What was valuable enough for him to do all this?"

"Inside every soul, contained within the glass-like material you all saw with Jane's- which is what protects the soul from the dangers of the outside world- is a light that represents your entire being," Loki explained, glancing back at Odin again as he spoke, "In mine, there is an extra part, one that was melded to it the day I was born."

"That extra part is of Asgard, ancient and very, very powerful. It is what gives me my Asgardian form, and is the base for all of my magic to this day. That is what Zak'Vael wants, because it is the key to his plan."

"Which is?"

"He wants to break the barriers that keep the Vaelheim separated from the rest of the Realms," Loki replied, seriously, "And after that, he'll try to take them all, killing everyone who gets in his way."

 _This is a worse predicament than even I anticipated,_ Axel said, quietly, _But it will take a huge amount of power to do such a thing- power I'm still not even sure exists._

"It does, obviously," Loki said, rather tersely, "But it manifests only within three people."

"You, Odin… and Thor," Eir said, slowly, "Right?"

"Exactly."

 _Then why didn't he go after either of them?_ Axel countered, _Why was it you?_

"Because for all that he is cruel, Zak'Vael isn't stupid about it," Loki answered, with a bitter chuckle, "Think for a moment. Why would one lion go after another, when he can go after far easier prey instead?"

No one, not even Odin, had an answer to that.

**N._.s._.S**

**"B** **ecause we know he's after the Bridge, which is surrounded by water, I think it best if your warriors stayed flanked by ours,"** Loki was saying, as he looked down at the map, pointing a finger down at the map that lay spread out over the table he and the Honored King were standing over, "That way, you wouldn't lose anyone unnecessarily to some water."

 _A very judicious move of you,_ Axel answered with a short, agreeable nod of obvious thanks, _But you are still expecting heavy casualties on both our sides, yes?_

"Killing the Space Dragon was a small victory for us, but from what information I've gathered- and been told- about the Black Hunt, they're faster and deadlier than the dragon on several levels."

_That they are._

"But if we managed to split them all up, they might be less of a threat than they would be if faced together," Loki said, "Perhaps we can have small teams set up a few traps-"

 _Absolutely not,_ Axel interrupted, _Nothing but attacking them head-on will break their ranks._

"Are you sure? I can-"

 _You have your hands full already,_ Axel insisted, _Besides, it's never a good idea to break rank._

"That may be true, but we have the numbers."

_Numbers won't stop them. What we need are more warriors who can match them._

"We have you, Odin, Thor, Eir, Heimdall, the Warriors Three, and myself."

 _You and Thor shall be heading off Zak'Vael at the Bridge,_ Axel reminded him with another shake of the head, _Odin and I shall be at the palace gates, Heimdall will be waiting at the Bifrost, Eir's got the palace itself covered, and your 'Warriors Three' are mere children compared to-_

"Wait, why is Heimdall at the Bifrost?" Loki looked over at the Vael with raised brows, "A failsafe?"

 _Are you kidding?_ Axel laughed, _Please._ _If anything,_ y _our brother's the failsafe._

"That's not funny."

_What, you think I'm joking?_

Loki shot the Vael a warning look, but before he could retort or protest, something stopped him.

A very _loud_ something.

The doors to the room that Loki and Axel were working in suddenly slammed in on its hinges, and without thinking, both the God of Mischief and the Honored King whipped around and drew their weapons (Axel's two rapiers; Loki's a staff of ice), each expecting nothing less than a full-scale attack.

But when he saw who stood in the doorway, Loki dropped his staff and released the breath he'd held out of relief as Axel swore.

"Thor," Loki said, as Axel begrudgingly sheathed his swords, "Why did you-"

"We need to talk," Thor interrupted, glancing quickly at Axel as he added, rather crossly, "Now."

"Let me finish this," Loki answered, keeping his voice calm and leveled despite the sudden, painful stabbing feeling in whatever was left of his heart, causing him to flinch, "I was just-"

 _No. We're finished here,_ Axel cut in, sharply, already rolling up the map as Thor crossed the room, _Your brother is far more important._

The Honored King refused to look at either of them as he left the room, closing the doors of the meeting room behind him with an echoing slam that echoed throughout the suddenly dead-silent room.

**N._.s._.S**


	20. The Truth II

**Chapter Twenty: The Truth II.**

**"See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."**

**\- Anonymous.**

**A** **fter Axel left and the door to the meeting-room slammed shut, Loki turned to Thor, but before he could figure out what to say, Thor beat him to it.**

"I'm sorry."

Out of everything Loki expected Thor to say- and he'd been silently mulling over the possibilities all day- this was pretty much the last thing he'd wanted to hear.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Loki said, unfolding his arms, "I should be the one who-"

"I don't _want_ you to apologize," Thor interrupted, his voice unusually sharp; "I already know you didn't mean what you said last night. All I want right now is the truth."

_The truth._

"Why didn't you tell me?" He continued, sounding hurt, "Why couldn't you _trust_ me for once?"

"This wasn't about whether or not I trusted you," Loki answered, honestly, "It was about keeping you focused on Zak'Vael instead of worrying about me."

"But it didn't work, right?" Thor answered, bitterly.

"Thor, listen to me," Loki shook his head wearily as he rubbed his eyes. "I _do_ trust you- you're one of the last people who _I know_ I can trust. But the last thing I wanted was for you to go after Zak'Vael, especially now, after what he did to Jane."

"So you thought I'd just go after him _blindly_?" Thor demanded, incredulously.

"Don't pretend you haven't done it before."

"Jotunheim was a long time ago, brother," Thor countered, "And I have changed since then."

"I know," Loki answered, "But the consequences of it hurt a lot of people, most of all _you_. I had no way of knowing how you'd react this time, when I told you everything that Zak'Vael has done."

"Meaning you _didn't_ trust me."

"How many times must I say it?" Loki demanded, heatedly, "I do trust-!"

"You couldn't tell me the truth because you feared my reaction," Thor interrupted again, folding his arms in clear, growing agitation, "Isn't that one of the signs of distrust?"

"I'm surprised you know that," Loki countered, without thinking, "Did you study some basic psychology while I was gone?"

"You-" Suddenly, Thor stopped, seemingly lost for a suitable reply to what his brother had just said, before slowly uncrossing his arms and shaking his head as he smiled a little, "… Ouch."

"Oh, what's wrong, dear brother?" Loki asked, allowing himself a small, mischievous smile of his own as he gently egged Thor on, "Has a cat caught your tongue?"

At that, the God of Thunder could only laugh, and soon, Loki was laughing right along with him.

It felt good to laugh, even with the tension still hanging over both their heads; especially for Loki, who'd scarcely had a break from his fears for the future.

As their laughter died a little, Loki looked out the one, massive window in the room, watching as the sun that had risen high in the bright blue sky, its beams unhindered by the grayish clouds that swarmed around it, like bloated buzzards drawn to the light.

"You're not going to like the truth," Loki told him, gently, as his brother's expression grew serious once more.

"Does one ever?"

Loki shook his head and allowed himself one last, quiet chuckle.

"Indeed, not. Good point."

**N._.s._.S**

**I** **t took a better part of an hour to tell Thor everything.**

And this time, he left nothing out.

First, he described what had lead up to all this- he told him about how Laufey and Zak'Vael were enemies three-thousand years ago, how Borr had tried (and failed) to keep the peace; and how Zak'Vael started the Thrice War by trying to destroy the Jotunheim, resulting in the Vaelheim's banishment, which in turn lead to the war between Asgard and the Jotun for the perceived lightness of the punishment.

Second, he told him about Borr's protections over Asgard. He told him how they sapped the strengths of all perceived threats to Asgard; which was why Loki's own powers hadn't been impeded during their various battles with the Vael (because he was no longer perceived as a threat), and that what Zak'Vael wanted to do was to destroy those ancient protections- and in order to do that, he needed a soul.

"But not just any soul," Loki said, seriously, gesturing at himself and Thor, "He needed a soul that was directly connected to both Borr and the core of Asgardian magic- but also one that was weak enough for him to have a chance in destroying, which meant that the two of you, of course, were out of the question. But when he found that Odin had embedded part of his own power into an adopted Jotun- _me_ \- he found a soul that was more likely to be broken. Remus Zak'Vael's Curse unstuck my soul from my body, but before his father could extract what he needed, I managed to put a spell of my own around it; activating Borr's protections and, in turn, forcing Zak'Vael to leave Asgard."

"This spell specified that I could transfer any damage he inflicted upon my soul using either his Curses or by some other magic right back at him," Loki explained, slowly, carefully watching his brother's reaction, "But in turn, he could never physically touch the soul- and nor could it be given freely to him."

Before Thor could get that truth to sink in, Loki continued.

"Unfortunately, now that Zak'Vael has my soul- which _I_ gave to him freely, mind you," Loki said, heavily emphasizing the word 'I' as if he hoped that would blunt the impact of his next revelation, "The spell will now backfire, meaning that whatever damage he inflicts upon my soul from here on out, physical or otherwise, will now be rebounded on myself in order to stop him."

 _"What?!"_ At that, Thor stood up; knocking back the chair he'd been sitting in with a loud screech.

"Don't panic," Loki said, quickly, loudly, "Thor, I never thought-"

_"You gave him your soul knowing the spell would backfire?!"_

"If I hadn't, you would have been forced to!" Loki shouted above Thor, his voice echoing like thunder through the room, "And then what would have happened?"

"I would never have-"

"Jane was dying in your arms," Loki pointed out, lowering his voice, though his tone was still defensive, "If I hadn't given him what he wanted, he would have killed her."

"But you… gave your soul to _me_ …"

His voice sounded shocked.

Shocked and _hurt_.

"Like I said, I never thought he'd use Jane," Loki said, gently, putting a hand on his brother's shoulders, "When I realized what he'd done, I knew if I didn't hand it over to him, you'd be the one to suffer when he got around to trying to break it, and if that happened…"

Loki's voice trailed off, and he looked away, withdrawing his hand again.

_I couldn't bear it._

"I never thought for a second you'd ever give it to him willingly, but I never thought about Jane when I was thinking all this through," Loki admitted, "And I'd never thought he'd…"

"You underestimated him."

"I did," Loki agreed, softly, "And I couldn't let you pay for that mistake."

Slowly, Thor set the chair back onto its feet, his brows furrowing as he mulled over everything Loki had told him.

As he let the truth slowly sink in.

"Is there a way?" He finally questioned, quietly.

"If we stop him, then he won't be able to carry out his plan," Loki said, as gently as he could, "But-"

"If we stop him," Thor repeated, looking back at him, his formerly stormy, dark azure eyes suddenly blazing back to life as he spoke, "If we stop him, then he won't be able to hurt you or anyone else."

Loki's heart sank.

He still didn't understand.

_Even if, by some miracle of miracles, Zak'Vael is stopped and your soul is returned to you, you are still going to die, no matter what._

_No,_ Loki realized, as Thor grinned triumphantly at him, _I can't tell him about that._

_Vael Curses are unbreakable._

He couldn't do this, dammit!

"Yes, Thor," He managed to say with a forced, small smile, "If we beat him…"

_Because words could never be taken back._

"… Then everything goes back to normal."

_Perhaps they can live not knowing. But can you really bear dying without telling them?_

He couldn't.

But they probably could.

**N._.s._.S**


	21. To Save a Life II

**Chapter Twenty-One: To Save a Life II.**

**"What is heroic, is not making life any harder than it has to be."**

**\- Marty Rubin.**

**Without a word, Loki Odinsson picked up the broken hilt of the knife from the small table next to Jane Foster's bed, and quietly turned it in his hands over and over again, brows cinching together a little as he stared rather contemplatively down at it, as if slowly piecing something together in his mind.**

Every so often, the God of Mischief's dark, tired green eyes would flash up to Jane again, and he would watch her for a few, long moments before looking back down at the broken weapon, which he kept twirling and playing with, seemingly unafraid of the sharp edges he was dealing with as he continued to turn it in his pale, slightly shaking hands.

"She slashed his face," Loki finally spoke, breaking the comfortable silence between himself and his brother as he ran his finger over the sapphire embedded in the hilt, "That's why he broke this."

"She slashed Zak'Vael?" Thor repeated, looking up at his brother in faint amusement, "I didn't notice."

"You wouldn't have- you were too busy trying to help her than to look up at your enemy's face," Loki answered, with a small smile that quickly faded as he continued, "But I saw it happen. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to the Courtyard in time to stop whatever happened next. For some reason, the portal I used in the Jotunheim lead to the palace, and by the time I even got back, it was too late to save her."

"How did you manage that?" Thor questioned, seriously, "How were you watching us?"

"You really think I'd just leave you to your devices while I knew Ceil Zak'Vael was out there?" Loki countered with another smile, "I cast a spell from the Jotunheim that would allow me to see using the snow that fell in Asgard."

"So you planned everything out from the beginning," Thor said with a shake of his head, "You _do_ think too much."

"Hey, that's not fair," Loki protested, though without much enthusiasm, quietly standing up as he replaced the broken hilt next to its blade on the bedside table as he peered down at Jane's still form, frowning a little as he added, quite pointedly, "I may have had a plan, but that doesn't mean fate will abide by it just because I asked nicely."

As Loki began to run a hand over the little cerulean orb, it pulsed out tiny, long golden threads, and Thor quieted as they wrapped around his brother's and, like last time, began inching (rather creepily) up his arm.

"Why does it do that?" Thor asked, uneasily, as they reached his brother's shoulder and began to lurk quietly around his neck, already draping off his shoulders. At his brother's worried look, Loki just chuckled and gently prodded the little, wriggling things away from his neck, causing the things to droop almost sulkily away from him and over his shoulder again.

"These are not dangerous at all, as I told you last time," Loki reminded him, "It helps her. Now that her soul has almost completely returned to her body, the feelers are going to start their return as well, but in order to do that, they need to know that their environment is safe, and by wrapping themselves around the nearest person or object, they can interact with it and ensure their host shall not be harmed."

"What if they _did_ think you were going to harm them?"

"They'd kill me, obviously."

The God of Thunder shot Loki a greatly unappreciative look just as one of the threads wrapped sneakily around his neck again, causing Loki to pull it gently back again while giving his brother a teasing smile.

"Well _I_ happen to think they're _absolutely precious_ ," Loki said with the best, most ridiculously shrill voice he could manage he lightly tapped one of the tendrils inching along his shoulder with his fingertip, as if it were a pet, "They're the best little soul-lines _ever_!"

Thor couldn't help it.

From his study a few rooms over, Sanat Eir could hear booming laughter from his Med Bay. The man's steely grey eyes brightened a little, and he smiled at the sound of it, and, completely unperturbed, simply turned the page of the book he was reading.

**N._.s._.S**

**It was very late when Jane Foster finally woke.**

Loki had finally fallen asleep just as the sun loomed over the horizon and the Med Bay slowly darkened, while Thor had stayed wide awake, vigilantly watching as the golden threads and tendrils slowly unraveled themselves from his brother and began to quietly disappear with the soul back into Jane's still body.

Loki did not stir even once during all this.

Sometime before he retired, Eir had come in to check on them, and when he'd found the God of Mischief slumbering quietly in his chair, he told Thor very sternly that if he found them there the next morning, he would hand all three of them over to the mercy of the All-Father, who, the old medic swore, would not take kindly to them.

It was past midnight when the resurgence came.

It came suddenly, without warning. The golden lights from the ends of the tendrils that had been slowly sinking back into Jane vanished, leaving the only light coming from the small lamps Thor had lit when night had fallen.

Then, moments later, Jane shuddered and opened her eyes.

Loki woke just as this happened, and while Thor knew for sure that his brother wasn't completely aware what was happening thanks to the fog of sleep, his brother still watched with a small, pleased smile of his own as Jane slowly sat up.

"Thor?"

That was the first thing she said.

The God of Mischief hurriedly rubbed his eyes to help him focus as Thor enveloped his wife in his arms, grinning as she stared, wide-eyed and confused, at him.

"It worked!" Loki said, although wearily, as he stood up, picking up the broken hilt and blade as he spoke, "Thank the Gods..."

"No, not the Gods," Thor answered, as Jane looked back at Loki in surprise, as if only noticing him standing there right then, "Thank you."

Loki slipped the hilt and blade into his pocket as he answered his brother.

"You're welcome."

**N._.s._.S**


	22. Shot Through the Heart

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Shot through the Heart.**

" **If you are silent about your pain, it'll kill you and say you enjoyed it."**

**-** **Zora Neale Hurston** **.**

**A** **fter Jane woke, Loki thought it would be best to leave the Med Wing, and decided to check on both Heimdall and the Jotunheim when he looked out and saw the top of the Bifrost, illuminated by the glowing Bridge and black, shimmering water below it.**

_Zak'Vael is coming,_ Loki thought, calmly, as he quietly tossed the broken blade into the air, deftly catching it between two fingers as it fell back to earth. As he caught it, he looked out at the endlessly black, shimmering water for a long, contemplative moment before tossing the blade up into the air again as he continued over the bridge that lead to the Bifrost.

_But Thor cannot face him._

The God of Mischief was certain that Thor was not strong enough to face Zak'Vael.

And it wasn't physical strength he was talking about, either.

Not once did Loki ever question Thor's prowess on the field of battle; nor his skill. That wasn't what Loki feared for- not even in the slightest.

It was Thor's _"heart,"_ so to speak.

Loki knew he'd been right to think that his brother's emotions and power stemmed from his raw emotions from the beginning, and his conversation with him in the meeting room that afternoon had only proven it. If Thor faced Zak'Vael, the former Honored King would break him.

And in more ways than one.

_I can't let Zak'Vael touch him,_ Loki decided as he caught the blade and pocketed it again, _There's no way Thor will be able to handle the truth about the Curse now. It would destroy him._

Loki quickly crossed the brightly-lit, multicolored bridge that lead to the Bifrost, and as he wagered (and had hoped), Heimdall stood at the entrance, arms crossed in clear distrust. The Gatekeeper was silent and tense as he watched the God of Mischief approach, and relaxed only slightly when Loki held both hands out in front of his chest in a peaceful gesture.

"I mean you no harm," Loki assured him, sincerely; "I only wish to ask you something."

"If it is about Zak'Vael, they have not yet approached." Heimdall answered, coolly.

"It is not about the Vael. I know their course well enough myself."

"Is that so?" Heimdall's eyes narrowed down at the God in suspicion, "What is it, then?"

"I ask that you turn to the Jotunheim for a moment, and tell me what you see."

If the Gatekeeper thought that request strange, he did not say so. Instead, the man turned his head, and Loki saw his golden eyes flash brightly as he looked deeply into space.

"I see nothing of interest," Heimdall answered, "Not a stir throughout."

"What of Laufey's halls? Nothing there, either?"

"Why have you an interest in that abandoned place?"

"Because is something of value to me there."

"Will you be heading there to seek it?"

"No," Loki replied, quickly, "Not until after Zak'Vael has been defeated."

Heimdall's eyes flashed again as he looked deeper into the place Loki had requested.

The late Jotun King's halls were buried beneath thousands of feet of snow, well-hidden and well-guarded by not his own servants (all long since dead now of course), but ancient magical spells that were, and still are, among the most powerful ever seen throughout the Nine Realms, and Heimdall could see even these as he looked through the massive catacombs, searching for what Loki had bidden him.

"You are looking for a library, in the deepest part of the maze," Loki instructed, quietly, careful not to sound too authoritative, "Also for anything out of the ordinary."

"I see it," the Gatekeeper said a few moments later, "What of it?"

"No creatures lurk? No shadows?"

"None."

"Good," Loki answered with a satisfied smirk, already turning to leave the Gatekeeper as he spoke, "Thank you for your assistance."

Heimdall let him leave without so much as another word, but his golden eyes were narrowed.

Almost in concern.

_Almost._

**N._.s._.S**

**H** **e had been unnaturally tired ever since Zak'Vael had taken hold of his soul; and while he was not surprised by this in the slightest- and pretty much expected it in the first place- it didn't chance the fact that he was still utterly exhausted, and his rest in the Med Wing had done little to alleviate it.**

When he stayed in the Jotunheim, he had no use for the normal sorts of things living people needed to survive-

Though, granted, he wasn't even convinced that freezing, lonely place _was_ the Jotunheim anymore.

It had housed all sorts of spirits, both good and malicious ones, and no matter what the Frost Giant's true, _paranormal abilities_ were, Loki couldn't- and _wouldn't_ \- believe that they were so powerful.

But there was no way that place had once belonged to the living.

Loki unpinned his cloak and tossed it over the back of a chair along with his gloves as he went out into the balcony, looking up into the black, star-dotted sky.

His spell had worn off- the snow was gone.

That meant that if Zak'Vael made a move, he would know it.

The old ache in his chest started up again as he thought about the cruel enigmatic creature and his plans for Asgard and the Nine Realms, and he shuddered a little at the pain, forcing the thoughts away and rubbing the spot with his ungloved hand; dark jade eyes narrowing a little as he felt something damp there.

_I won't let you do it,_ Loki promised, silently, drawing his hand away from his chest.

He wasn't surprised by the blood that had transferred from his clothes to his hand, and simply, calmly dropped his hand back to his side, looking back up into the sky.

_No matter what you do, I won't let you._

**N._.s._.S**

**C** **eil Zak'Vael stared down at the badly cracked; dimly-lit jade orb that sat in his palm with a contemplative, and almost amused look, in his dark, midnight blue eyes.**

_This was what remained of Laufeysson's dying soul._

_But no matter what he did, he could not break it._

_He had been corrupting the golden power within the soul with his own in hopes of drawing it out, and while he was positive that it was having some effect, it wasn't doing its job correctly._

_It was like something more protected it._

_The former Honored-King turned to the fire that he'd started beside him, and looked back at the soul in his hand, eyes flashing as he took the soul in both hands and concentrated._

_After a long moment of waiting, the all-too familiar, golden palace of Asgard came into view- and more importantly, as did Laufeysson, standing alone on a balcony. The Jotun's arms were folded across his chest and he stared blankly up into the sky, as if lost in thought._

"I see you," _Ceil murmured, clenching the orb tighter,_ "I wonder what is on your mind."

_At his words, Loki slowly unfolded his arms, pressing a hand against his chest._

"So you can feel that, no? The pressure," _the Vael said, conversationally, as if Loki could respond, slowly batting a hand through the fire next to him, easily drawing out a handful as if it were water as he quietly lifted up the jade orb to eye-level,_ "But what of this?"

_He slowly poured the fire over the soul, as if the flames were little more than water to him.  
_

_Almost instantly, Loki's hand clenched over his chest and he stumbled, grasping the fence of the balcony with his free hand as he doubled over, before struggling quietly back to his feet again moments later._

_Ceil Zak'Vael stood up as he watched, as if what he'd just seen had proven something.  
_

"Damn you," _He said, quietly,_ "So _that's_ what you did!"

_Zak'Vael had expected that Laufeysson had put an enchantment over his soul to prevent it from breaking it further, and this was the proof._

_This was why he couldn't break it._

_He had to break the body before the soul._

"We're leaving!" _He called to his Black Hunt, each of whom looked over at him and simply bowed before grabbing the cloaks they'd been sitting on over the grass._

"We've got a Jotun to punish."

_At that, the five members all exchanged glances and simple nods, none of them saying a word as Zak'Vael turned back to the soul in his hand._

"Ready or not," _he told it, throwing the still burning soul up into the air before deftly snatching it back out of the air again and tossing it carelessly into his pocket._

"Here we come."

**N._.s._.S**


	23. Before the Storm

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Before the Storm.**

" **If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you'll never enjoy the sunshine."**

**\- Morris West.**

**H** **e was burning.**

Loki slowly ran a hand though his damp hair as he stared down at his reflection in the water. Even with the heavy ripples obscuring it, thanks to the cool water running from the faucet; he could see the black veins, cutting straight lines around his dark, tired eyes and beginning to start down the rest of his pale face.

He looked worn.

_Dying._

But that was only to be expected, considering that was exactly what was happening.

Loki had known it was only a matter of time before Zak'Vael found out what he had done- casting a spell of that sort and not expecting someone like the former Honored King to (eventually) find it in the first place would have been a truly foolish move on his part otherwise.

_Ready or not, here we come._

Now, Zak'Vael finally knew the truth-

And boy, was he mad.

 _Did you think it would be that easy?_ Loki wondered, using the sleeve of his shirt to wipe away the mist that covered the mirror, _Did you really think I'd just hand you my soul and go down without a fight?_

_We've got a Jotun to punish._

At that one, the God of Mischief smirked.

**N._.s._.S**

**"T** **hey're coming."**

No one bothered to question him anymore when it came to the Vael, especially now that he'd proven them all wrong about them, and while Loki definitely appreciated it (it made his life infinitely easier, not being questioned and/or challenged about every single thing he said and/or did), the dead, tense silence that had started to follow him everywhere he went was really starting to bug him.

The first people he'd told were Odin and Eir. His father had given him a split-second, searching look before sending Eir off to find and warn Axel.

He hadn't said anything to Loki after that, letting his son leave the throne-room without so much as a second glance, without his usual concern.

He spotted Lady Sif in the hall leading to the steps of the Tower- where he'd gone in hopes of finding Thor, and feeling decidedly bold, he called out to her, despite common sense telling him to turn around and walk away while he still had the chance.

Sif turned when he called out, and immediately her dark brows cinched together in what could only have been anger, and while Loki did not see anger in her eyes, he knew she wasn't exactly happy to see him either, as if her suddenly tense demeanor was any indication.

"Are Thor and Jane up in the Tower?"

"Yes."

Her tone was already sharp.

"What are you doing here?"

At that, her eyes flashed dangerously, and Loki can't help but smirk a little at it.

Out of everyone, more than even Odin and Thor (who had more reason than anyone), it was Sif to hold his various betrayals against him, and had yet to forgive him for them. Loki didn't quite understand why she couldn't let it go like everyone else (presumably) had, but found that her anger with him didn't bother him as much as it did a month or two ago.

_You're low._

He figured she still hated him for what he'd said to her during the Vael's first attack, after he confronted her about leaving Jane unprotected after Thor vanished during the fight, despite direct orders.

_And I am no longer alone, as you've just joined my level._

He still didn't regret it, and rightly so- he had done nothing wrong; in fact, he was surprised Thor still hadn't said anything to her despite Loki telling him what she did.

"Keeping watch."

"Then you'd best keep watch elsewhere," Loki answered, finally matching her tone with a half-exasperated, half-amused one of his own, managing to keep his smirk as he added, "Zak'Vael is coming and you've been stationed at the palace gates with the Warriors Three."

To his surprise, she didn't question him. Instead, she brushed right past him as she left.

However, her footsteps stopped just as she made it behind him.

"You'll never be one of us," she finally told him, and Loki looked over at his shoulder in surprise, to find her back turned to him, "Never again."

_Ouch._

That one stung a little.

But not enough to anger him.

"You could pretend," Loki answered, calmly, looking away from her again, "As I'm sure others do."

"You don't deserve that mercy."

"No; I don't," he countered, easily, "But Thor does."

Sif doesn't answer, but Loki could hear her feet shuffle uncomfortably.

"My brother, as you likely know by now, will not take kindly to anyone saying such things, as true as they may be. But don't worry," he added, "You will not have to deal with me much longer."

"Oh?" He could tell he'd finally caught her interest, "Is that so?"

"I shall be dead within a year, give or take; or perhaps," this time, Loki's voice lowered, "If the fates work with Zak'Vael, by the end of this day."

They turn to face each other at that very moment, and it was a battle of wills between a pair of blazing, beetle-black eyes and tired jade ones as they stared at each other.

And then, Sif turns on her heels and walks away.

Loki exhaled the breath he'd been holding as she disappears around the corner.

**N._.s._.S**

**L** **oki found Thor sitting quietly on the couch with Jane when he opened the door.** Thor looked up from whatever he was reading at smiled at him, but Jane didn't move, and it took the God of Mischief a moment to realize she was sound asleep.

"I take it she was happy to see you?" Loki asked as he bent to pick up a book that had been left out on the floor, slipping it back into its place in the dusty shelf as he spoke.

"She was," Thor answered, "She couldn't stay awake for long, though."

"To be expected, I think. Unconsciousness doesn't exactly replace sleep."

"Then what are you doing awake?"

" _I_ was never unconscious."

"You liar."

"I'm not lying, actually," Loki retorted, truthfully, in amusement, " _I really wasn't_."

Thor shot him an odd look before turning back at Jane, letting the comment go.

"She wanted to thank you for saving her life."

"I'm pretty sure I told her to stop saying that to me."

"You don't want her thanking you?"

"I don't want _anyone_ thanking me for what I'm _supposed_ to be doing."

"Like?"

" _Like_ keeping an eye on my fool of an older brother and his wife, for one."

Thor actually smirked as he slowly got to his feet, taking surprising care to make sure not to disturb Jane with the movement. He handed Loki the book he'd been reading, which the God of Mischief took with raised brows as he spotted the title.

_The Tales of Asgard._

"Don't tell me you were reading children's stories?" Loki asked as he flipped through the old pages, "Weren't these the ones mother used to read us when we were children?"

"Jane asked me to read to her."

"Thor, you're terrible at reading."

"That's not true," Thor answered in apparent exasperation, throwing a quick, leveled glare at his smirking brother as Loki shut the book with a sharp snap and shelved it.

"I came up here to tell you that Zak'Vael is coming back," Loki told him as he turned back to Thor, "You and I will be heading him off at the Bridge."

"What of the others?"

"Odin, Lady Sif, and the Warriors three will be at the palace gates. Axel will be commanding his warriors in the city and near the Bridge, and Eir will take the palace itself."

"And Jane?"

Loki's reply was prompt, but thoughtful, like he'd been wondering the same thing himself.

"My suggestion would be to leave her here in the palace, perhaps in the Med Wing."

Thor's next question was a little harder to answer.

"How long do we have?"

**N._.s._.S**

**S** **anat Eir, of course, had no problem with letting Jane stay in the Med Wing for the duration of the coming fight-**

He had a problem with something else entirely.

"Why aren't you out on the Bridge?" He demanded of Loki when he spotted the God of Mischief, who was filling a glass with water at the sink on the farthest side of the wing, "You realize our ass is hanging out for them right now with you here?"

Loki, who'd just taken a sip of his water, started coughing as Thor chuckled.

"Wrong," Loki finally managed as he slowly put the glass down, though Thor saw his eyes narrow in concern- as if Eir's words had just sunk in- "Everyone should be in place by now."

"And you and Thor aren't part of _everyone_?"

"Technically, no," Loki answered, even as he headed back for the door, "We're not."

"Yeah, right," Eir said as Loki headed out, "You'd better get down there!"

"Thor!" Loki turned back, hand still on the door, "Meet me out on the Bridge when you can."

Thor didn't have time to answer before the door slams shut.

**N._.s._.S**


	24. Loki & the Kings

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Loki & the Kings.**

**"Be yourself, don't take anything from anyone, and never let them take you alive."**   
**\- Gerard Way.**

**T** **he staff of gold felt bizarrely unfamiliar in Loki's grasp, and the God of Mischief quietly twirled it again and again at his side in a vain attempt to rid himself of the distracting uneasiness as he stood before the Bridge, up into the endless, slowly darkening sky.**

The brilliant splashes of rich reds, oranges, and yellows helped slowly ease the tension away, and as he stopped twirling the spear and his shoulders relaxed a little, he took a deep, slow breaths as he turned back to the golden palace and city he had left behind.

The return of his spear was a final gift from the All-Father.

A final gift of trust.

Or, at least, that's how Loki saw it, anyway.

 _"Use it well,"_ Odin had said, before dismissing him with a slow nod and the smallest of smiles. _"Make us all proud."_

A loud whooshing noise far above him startled him out of his thoughts, and Loki immediately looked back up into the sky, already instinctively tightening his grasp over the golden spear and squinting his eyes in instant suspicion when he saw something akin to a small sun heading straight for him.

And then his eyes widened.

Loki had to literally dive for safety when the gargantuan body of the Space Dragon hit the ground, causing massive waves to rise up against the sides of the bridge and spraying water everywhere. The God of Mischief barely made it out of the way himself, it came down so fast, narrowly missing the dead beast's massive tail as it flopped lifelessly onto the ground.

He scrambled back to his feet within seconds, without even thinking about it, brandishing his spear and already expecting a fight.

But absolutely nothing happened. The waves that had crashed up against the sides of the bridge settled, and the dragon doesn't move an inch as Loki approached it, even when he quickly jabbed his spear into its tail, sinking the tip of the spearhead deep into its scaly, sand-colored hide.

When that did nothing, he drew back a few steps, running a hand distractedly through his shoulder-length black hair as his brows furrowed together in concern, keeping his eyes on the dragon all the while.

Gold tendrils were slowly unwrapping themselves from around the dragon's body. Wherever they touched, the great dead dragon's hide, skin and bones all, began to burn away right before Loki's eyes.

"So that's where you were," the God of Mischief said with a small smile as the golden bird he had summoned to fight the dragon days ago emerged from the dissipating remains of it, stretching out its golden wings, "You did manage to kill it after all."

It squawked at him as soon as it saw him standing before it, and with a careless beat of its wings, the golden bird launched off the remains of the dragon and landed quietly on the God of Mischief's already outstretched arm, going from huge to normal-size in the space of seconds

The bird was a product of a combination of Borr's ancient protection and the physical manifestation of the powers hidden deep within Loki's own soul; created to protect Asgard and its inhabitants.

Loki learned that a month ago, back in the Jotunheim.

"Go," Loki said to it, as the golden bird stared at him with impossibly bright, azure eyes that, of course, reminded him of his father and brother's, "Fly away now."

At his words, the bird launched back up into the air again, and Loki watched it disappear back into the darkening sky, just as he heard light footsteps coming up behind him.

"How long have you been standing there?" Loki asked calmly, keeping his eyes on the bird as he slowly turns his head to look over his shoulder, "... Zak'Vael?"

**N._.s._.S**

**N** _ **ot too long, let me assure you**_ **,** Ceil Zak'Vael stated, calmly, unfolding his arms as Loki turned to face him, _But long enough, I think._

The former Honored King stood motionlessly, with his arms folded primly behind his back. The jagged, ugly cracks on the side of his face, the ones Jane had made with Loki's dagger, stood out brightly against the blackness, revealing the white, fibrous flesh formerly hidden underneath.

"Is that so?"

Loki's voice is surprisingly pleasant, as though he had expected the enemy that had Cursed him, the enemy that had threatened his family and his home, was standing right behind him, in the first place.

_You expected me._

It's not a question.

Zak'Vael had known exactly where Loki would be waiting for him.

Loki was certain of that.

"I did."

_And you do not plan on surrendering?_

"I don't."

 _Tch,_ Ceil Zak'Vael actually chucked, good-humoredly, and Loki saw his dark midnight blue eyes light up a little, even as he into the folds of his black cloak, _I thought so._

Loki smirked. "Surely you didn't expect me to?"

_A son of Laufey would never bow his head so easily._

"We don't know what a son of Laufey would do," Loki retorted, boldly, "For none exist."

 _Still so defiant,_ Zak'Vael answered, proffering the cracked, odd little object to Loki as he spoke, as though it were the most normal thing in the world, _I wonder how long that shall last?_

"It isn't defiance," Loki corrected, quietly, as he cautiously took back the soul, running the tips of his fingers over the fissures, before pocketing it and looking back up at Zak'Vael, raising a brow at the former Honored King as he added, smartly, "It is just the truth.

 _You still don't understand, do you?_ Zak'Vael told him, his voice actually lowering into a deadly murmur, _What you are is very different than who you are- and I intend to kill them both._

"Fair enough," Loki countered, matching the former King's tone as he scanned the area behind his foe, bright jade eyes narrowing a little as he noticed something missing.

Or rather, _several_ someones.

"Where is the Black Hunt?"

 _Buying some time,_ Zak'Vael responded, simply, after a long, thoughtful moment, _It would be quite unfortunate if your precious older brother got caught in the middle, wouldn't it?_

By now, Loki is smart enough not to answer the jab, instead twirling the golden spear at his side as Zak'Vael does the same with his gleaming rapiers of silver.

Over the God of Mischief's shoulder, a blood-red sun looms over the horizon.

**N._.s._.S**


	25. Fighting Mad

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Fighting Mad.**

" **The road to hell is paved with the bones of men who did not know when to stop fighting."  
\- ****Paulette Jiles** **.**

" **I** **hope he knows what he's doing."**

Thor doesn't look up from Jane when he answers. "Loki always has a plan."

"That remains to be seen, I think."

"You mistrust my brother?"

"I mistrust none. I simply have my doubts."

"That's _mistrust_ , Eir."

"Whatever you may think it is, I remain justified in keeping it," Eir told him, as he leaned his staff against the opposing wall, folding his arms across his chest in clear exasperation, "I do not believe Loki knows what he is doing, despite all his planning."

"Our father trusts him, as do I," Thor shot back, heatedly, "That should be good enough for you."

"You and Odin trust Loki, perhaps more than he should be warranted, because he's family, and that will always remain so, even should the day come when common sense tells you otherwise," Eir answered, sharply, "I, however, hold no such illusions of him, or what he may be capable of, and nor will I ever again."

"I trust him because he has given all but his life to stop Zak'Vael," Thor told him, strongly, almost defiantly, "And it's his actions, not just because he is my brother, that has earned him my trust."

"Loki lies," Eir retorted, shortly, clearly unmoved by Thor's words, even as honest as they were, "His nickname to our people, the people of Midgard, and even to the other Realms, _'the God of Mischief and Lies,'_ stand still, despite his recent actions. Such is his nature, whether he intends harm or not."

"He isn't _evil by nature_ ," Thor snapped, "How dare-"

"I did not say _evil_ , nor will you ever hear me say such a terrible thing, of your brother, or anyone else," Eir interrupted, quietly, though quite sincerely, "No creature in these known Nine Realms is evil by nature; not even Ceil Zak'Vael, Laufey, or even Malekith or Algrim."

"All our enemies were victims of circumstance; and some may daresay even fate. They were shaped to be who they were by their experiences, and by the beliefs that stemmed from them. For Laufey, it was revenge and spite for those whom he could never best. For Malekith and Algrim, it was the fate of leading a people doomed by hatred. For Zak'Vael, it was simply his enemy outsmarting him- a crime he cannot bear to accept, let alone ever forgive, even should it mean his kingdom's ruin."

"But for your brother, for Loki, it was learning the truth behind his birth; a truth, I believe, that allowed him to be driven out of his already insecure mind by not only anger, but fear," Eir said with a short, decisive nod, "Fear that he would never be good enough for Odin, for Asgard, and, most importantly, for you. That was why he did as he did. That is why he does as he does now."

"I didn't care he was a Jotun. He isn't Laufey's son. He was _never_ -"

Eir held up a silencing hand, and for some inexplicable reason, Thor heeded him.

"Listen to me, Thor," the Old Medic said, keeping his steely grey eyes on the God of Thunder as he spoke, "Whether Loki truly doesn't understand or whether he simply refuses to, he cannot comprehend that _what_ and _who_ he is, were and always will be, two very different things, as long as he can fight to prove it."

"Then that is why he's so adamant about facing Zak'Vael," Thor replied, as horror quietly crept into his voice as the realization dawned on him, "It's not his _soul_ he cares about."

"Loki doesn't care whether he lives or dies anymore; that was decided the moment Remus Zak'Vael Cursed him," Eir told him as Thor's bright azure eyes narrowed at that truth, "What he cares about now, is proving, once and for all, that he is truly Odin's son… and your brother."

Without giving a response, Thor starts for the door, and when he passes Eir, he doesn't look at him when he finally answers, after a moment of dead, stricken silence.

"Take care of Jane."

The Medic doesn't even blink once as the door slams shut for the second time.

**N._.s._.S**

**L** **oki had lied to him- lied to all of them.  
**

Again.

And, as usual, Thor hadn't even seen it coming.

_If we stop him, then he won't be able to hurt you or anyone else._

_Yes, Thor. If we beat him… then everything goes back to normal._

Thor didn't think for a _second_ that Loki had meant to hurt him with this one, as with the other lies he'd been telling since the Vael first attacked. He didn't think that his brother had intentionally _not_ told him about the (terrible) truth behind the Curse that Zak'Vael had set against him just to mess with him; or to follow ahead with some insidious plot- or whatever anyone accused him of these days.

He did it to _protect_ him, that much was obvious.

But from _what_ , Thor couldn't even imagine.

**N._.s._.S**

**T** **he first blow was, by far, the most powerful.** From their position in the center of the narrow, luminescent, rainbow-colored bridge, a violent circle of waves and icy mists surrounded them, crashing together and fanning out again, rippling across the entire body of water.

It shook the black skies above them, the blow was so mighty.

The second caused sparks; a silent battle between the golden spear that was Loki Odinsson's, and the two silver rapiers, crossed at the middle, of Ceil Zak'Vael's.

They were deadlocked for only a moment before both used magic- Ceil Zak'Vael's powerful lavender against the blinding gold that was Loki's- and the force that resulted in the collision of the two spells sent both warriors rocketing backward, and another powerful blast of icy waves of water.

Both landed skillfully on their feet.

 _You are far more powerful than last we met,_ Zak'Vael said, twirling both of his silver blades while keeping his narrowed, midnight blue eyes on Loki, paying no mind to the mist that blew over his black skin, causing tiny cracks the size of pinheads to appear on the smooth surface, _Your desperation becomes you._

"Desperation?" Loki laughed, brazenly, "I am no more _desperate_ than you!"

_We shall see!_

Vael were, by nature, swift and nimble, thanks to their rarely covered hides and stamina that came naturally with the harsh environment of the Vaelheim, and Zak'Vael was no exception- he was actually faster than most of his warriors, and was a cut above even the Black Hunt when it came down to it.

Luckily, Loki was just as fast.

He had to be.

Their movements were barely visible after that short exchange, moving faster and faster in their attempts to keep a step ahead of the other, until they were merely magnificently luminous blurs of black, gold, silver, lavender and gold, throwing virtually everything they had at each other again and again, the force of each of their blows more powerful than the rest.

And so they fought on, all as the chaotic ocean crashed around them, and the sky above grew blacker and blacker, with stars peaking almost strikingly silently down at them, like they were witnesses not to a duel that was fated to be, but to a scene that promised the death and misery yet to come.

**N._.s._.S**

**T** **he Black Hunt was, of course, quite good at surprising people.**

There were five of them- each with their own names. There was _Lor'Vael_ , a clear-eyed Vael that wielded a double-edged scythe and whom was unmistakably the leader of the group in the (immediately noticed) absence of Ceil Zak'Vael; _Kai'Vael_ , who had large dark-chocolate brown eyes and wielded a normal, single blade; _Xu'Vael_ , who had eyes as black as the sky above and wielded two large, silver axes, and _Du'Vael_ ; who had unnaturally bright, pink eyes and wielded two, three-meter long spears.

They came fast and precise; picking off clearly premeditated targets.

Xu'Vael took Axel Hernsson, drawing the new Honored King away from the All-Father, who was attacked by Kai'Vael moments later, with the resulting collision between the three spears shattering the marble ground at their feet, all while Du'Vael took Sanat Eir, who was already waiting in the hall just inside the palace surrounded by warriors of his own, Blackwood staff already poised at his side and steely grey eyes blazing with unprecedented, raw power.

Finally, Lor'Vael took Thor, waiting for him to clear the golden palace gates before attacking him out of nowhere, forcing him to summon Mjolnir and take a blind hit; thankfully catching Lor'Vael's scythe at point-blank range and forcing the creature into the streets as Thor quickly followed suit.

But he God of Thunder knew what their purpose was the moment he saw the leaderless group:

_The Black Hunt was a distraction._

He needed to get to the Bridge.

To Loki.

**N._.s._.S**


	26. Brain Pains

** Chapter Twenty-Six: Brain Pains.   
**

**"God has mercifully ordered that the human brain works slowly; first the blow, hours afterwards the bruise."**   
**― Walter de la Mare.**

**T** **he sky above was black, the only light coming from the tiny faintly-glistening stars, and the moon that shined brightly overhead, like a great white eye in a sea of blackness.**

Down below, the earth was burning.

In the Palace, Odin, Eir and Axel all dealt with their respective opponents one-on-one, while out on the far end of the city beyond, great streaks of thunder tore at the earth as Thor faced his own, new enemy, while slowly making his way toward the rainbow-colored Bridge, one step at a time.

But out on the Bridge itself, however, a truly different kind of battle waged.

As far as Ceil Zak'Vael was concerned, even as the golden city behind them burned, as thunder crashed down, lighting up the blackness with bight azure that illuminated the already impossibly bright flames and flakes of ice that flew unbidden at their feet as they fought, simply did not exist.

And to prove it: up to now, during the entire battle, did he take his eyes off Loki.

_Getting tired?_

Loki didn't answer.

Zak'Vael had been snapping little jabs at him since the beginning of their fight (Gods knew how long it's been since then; it felt like hours already), but Loki hadn't responded even once, instead keeping his focus as he watched every movement the former Honored King made, either countering him within split moments, or stepping just out of range of Zak'Vael's attack and then returning it in kind.

His movements were measured and precise; he was clearly taking great care in his attacks, his defenses, but there was something _off_ about them- like something was missing.

This was not how Loki Odinsson fought.

Years ago, if faced with a duel of this standard, Loki would be giving it all he had; using every weapon at his disposal, every little trick he knew, to gain the upper-hand in battle.

But now, he clearly wasn't.

It was as if he was merely tolerating the foe before him.

As though the battle just a minor distraction to him.

As though his mind was somewhere else.

**N._.s._.S**

" **Curses, curses, to you, the monster that survives.**

**The stars themselves are after you,**

**You shall be abandoned;**

**Those you love will turn their backs,**

**Even your soul shall damn you in the end.**

**And all this because-**

**Curses, curses, only to you, the monster that survived."**

**T** **hus was the Curse that was placed upon him, spoken by Remus Zak'Vael with his dying breaths as he lay, defeated, at Loki's feet.** _Those words unhinged Loki's already damaged soul, allowing it to come free of the physical bonds that kept it safe, deep within him, at last, allowing Zak'Vael a chance to seize it, and beyond that, the unimaginable, ancient power he sought, trapped within._

_But what had made the first crack?_

"Loki!"

Loki Odinsson looks up from the book he is reading and smiles; jade-green eyes lighting up as his older brother parades toward him, stick in hand as his sword, trailing behind him a too-long crimson cape that ripples in the wind, and wearing their father's winged, silver helmet to boot, hanging over his brows.

_Some say it was Laufey who had made them, when he abandoned him as a newborn at the threshold of the Jotunheim at the end of the War; maddened with the loss of the War he had lost everything in._

The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?

No. In the aftermath of the battle I went into the temple and I found a baby. Small for a Giant's offspring, abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son.

Laufeysson?

Yes.

_Others say it was when Loki learned the truth of his Jotun heritage, with the consequent roots of insanity brewing along with the shock of the ordeal._

Am I cursed?

No.

What am I?

You are my son.

What more than that?

_But what it truly was, some believe, it matters not, for fate took its course nonetheless._

**N._.s._.S**

**T** **he memories were jerked away as Zak'Vael finally got a hit, smashing through Loki's guard and making a clear slice along his unarmored shoulder and chest.** Caught completely unprepared, time seemed to stop as Loki's golden staff was flung away, landing with a bizarrely inaudible splash into the murky, half-iced over water as Loki himself stumbled backward, and then suddenly collapsed.

 _That drew you out of your reverie, it seems,_ Zak'Vael hissed, sharply, pitching his one bloody sword out and letting the crimson blood splatter into a neat crescent shape at his feet, _Where were you just now, Laufeysson? You clearly were not here._

Loki didn't answer, and he remained on his knees, exactly where he'd fallen moments before, stricken silent and unblinking, staring at the ground as though seeing right through it, at something else, and he doesn't move even when Zak'Vael impatiently slams the points of his two swords right down, less than an inch from where the God of Mischief is sitting.

Loki doesn't move.

Doesn't even blink.

No reaction at all.

Intrigued now, Zak'Vael slowly knelt down to one knee, and, using his forefinger and thumb, slowly lifted Loki's head up so he could look into the God of Mischief's eyes.

Zak'Vael's dark eyes narrow.

**N._.s._.S**

" **I, Ceil Zak'Vael,**

**Honored Lord of my people,**

**And ruler over this soul,**

**Let this one be undone!**

**I command you,**

**Be undone!"**

**T** **his is the second Curse, then, spoken by the former Honored King himself, Ceil Zak'Vael. Unlike his son, Zak'Vael doesn't offer any words of consolation.**

I shall spare you this one consolation, Laufeysson-Odinsson. If you survive this, then you may prove yourself worthy to live on in the eyes of my people, even as a Frost Giant.

Prove yourself worthy, and you may be spared in the end, Laufeysson.

_His words are final._

_Unforgiving, merciless, not giving a second thought to the life he had just destroyed._

Thor, I wish I could stand behind you for this. I truly do. I wish I could be at your side, and father's, too, but I don't know if that will ever be possible again.

_So were Loki's, that night._

_Inadvertently._

I wish I could tell you more. I wish I could tell you something that will make everything easier for you- that would give you the strength to stand fearlessly against such a terrible enemy and able to bear the reality that I truly could not.

_The last thing Loki had wanted to do was hurt his brother again._

Better yet, I wish I could stand beside you like I did two years ago, staring down at our enemies with confidence; knowing you had my back and you trusting that I had yours, and that there was nothing in the world that could hope to stop us.

_He couldn't bear it._

That chance is long gone now, though; what was then can never be again.

**N._.s._.S**


	27. He Is My Brother!

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: He is My Brother!**

**"Destiny made us brothers so we'll never be alone."**

**\- Anonymous.**

**T** **he sudden silence is what tells him that something is wrong.**

It is actually Lor'Vael who stops the fight first, dropping his scythe and forcing Thor to stop short with his next attack, causing the ground to shake as Mjolnir falters. But Lor'Vael slowly turns away from him, apparently completely ignoring the near-miss, looking toward the Bridge instead, his impossibly clear, bright eyes narrowing in what could only have been anger as he spoke.

_It seems as though your brother has finally been defeated._

These are the first words the Vael has said to him all this time.

 _You must go now, Odinsson,_ Lor'Vael said, turning back and giving the God of Thunder a short nod, _My Lord surely will not let him live long now that he has what he wants._

It took a long moment for Thor to realize what was happening, even as Lor'Vael bends to pick up his fallen weapon, shoulders it, turns his back on him, and begins to walk away.

"Why would you let me go?"

 _I have my orders,_ Lor'Vael answers, shrewdly, _My duty was to hinder you, not to kill you._

And then he does.

Lor'Vael turns back again as Thor leaps up into the air and vanishes into the back darkness of the sky, heading out for the Bridge, where Zak'Vael is surely already waiting.

But Lor'Vael has no inclination to join his Lord.

Instead, the leader of the Black Hunt raises is free hand into the sky.

_**I cannot let this battle stand alone.** _

_**On my honor, we shall fight again another day, Odinsson.** _

_**But not today.** _

_**For today is the day you shall fight for your own,** _

_**Not for yourself.** _

With that promise spoken, Lor'Vael turns his back on the Bridge, and on his Lord, letting his black cloak swirl dramatically behind him in the wind, as he continues on his way, away from the golden city and his Lord's enemies, ignoring the flaming ashes and the sharp, icy flakes that come down overhead, all illuminated by the azure thunder that still cracks the sky open and quakes the earth far below.

As he moves along, he is joined, one by one, by the other members of the Black Hunt. Lor'Vael nods to each member in turn as they appear, but speaks only to Kai'Vael, the last to arrive.

_None killed?_

_None,_ Kai'Vael affirmed, brushing his long, black fingers through his even darker hair, his brown eyes flashing oddly as he spoke, _Just as you ordered, all remain alive._

 _What of_ _Odin?_

 _Gone to the Bridge, I suspect, as I bid him to do before I departed,_ Kai added, quietly, _I think he will appreciate the chance to see his younger son alive one last time._

_And Axel?_

_Wounded, but alive. He shall make a splendid King for the Vaelheim for many years to come._

_Splendid?_ The Vael called Xu spoke up, incredulously, challengingly, _Splendid, you say?_

 _Watch your tone, Xu,_ Kai shot back, sharply, his eyes flashing dangerously as he turned back to Lor, _What I meant was, a better King than what Zak'Vael was._

 _A maggot could have done better,_ Du spoke up, mildly, carelessly twirling both his silver spears as he spoke, _Zak'Vael was a fool to challenge Borr, but an even worse sort to try to take down Odin with but a broken soul and a sniveling little Prince as his backup._

 _He did manage to Curse Laufeysson, though- we have to give him due credit for that much, at least, for it shall aid in our victory later,_ Lor answered with a look over toward the Bridge, bright eyes alight with curiosity, _Yet I wonder how Odinsson will take to his brother's death?_

 _Who cares?_ _The Soulless won't last a year anyway, I'll bet._ Xu chuckled, darkly, _If there's one thing that old menace Zak'Vael could do, it was cast a damned nasty Curse._

Kai followed Lor's gaze, and, almost somberly, nodded in silent agreement.

 _We'll see soon enough, I suppose…_ Lor said, decisively, turning back to his Huntsmen as another strike of lightning flashed in the sky, brightening up their black, expressionless faces and bathing them in azure light, _Move out!_

When the next strike of thunder came roaring down moments after that order, the five members of the Black Hunt were already long gone, off into the unknown…

And ready to plot anew.

**N._.s._.S**

**T** **he Bridge was utterly silent when Thor arrived.**

It had taken the God of Thunder mere moments to reach it, leaving Lor'Vael behind without even a second's hesitation in the burning city in his haste to reach his brother.

The bridge pulsed with a strange, glimmering blackness as Thor stepped upon it, but the God of Thunder took no notice it, or of the frozen sea and the frost building at his feet- he was focused solely on finding his brother and ensuring that Lor'Vael's prediction wasn't true.

And, of course, _hoping_ it wasn't.

Thor should have stayed with Loki, and he bitterly berated himself for not realizing that sooner. He had _known_ something was wrong the moment the door to the Med Wing closed and his brother left, but like always, he'd done nothing _despite_ that.

Now, Loki could be lost to them.

To him.

And this time, forever.

_Loki doesn't care whether he lives or dies anymore; that was decided the moment Remus Zak'Vael Cursed him..._

Thor couldn't be angry with Loki for not divulging that secret to him- regardless of everything he'd done and said in the past, regardless of everything he claimed, regardless of _everything_ …

His brother's actions expressed the exact opposite.

_What he cares about now, is proving, once and for all, that he is truly Odin's son… and your brother._

He cared about Odin, and of course, Thor- and saved his life _twice_ \- and had obviously considered their strengths, their weaknesses, _everything_ that could have helped. He hadn't told Thor the true nature of the Curse because he figured Thor wouldn't be able to handle it. That, for some reason, he would snap at the news and loose his inevitable fight with Zak'Vael.

Loki had all this planned out, right from the start.

It was never that his brother didn't _trust_ him.

It was that he cared so much; he would _gladly_ lie to him if it meant his safety.

And his victory.

Just as these truths struck him, Thor spotted something lying at the entrance of the Bifrost, which stood strangely dark and foreboding as he approached.

It was Loki.

" _Loki!"_

Loki gave a soft, pained groan as Thor bent over him, horrified and at a loss at what to do. Slowly, he reached out for his brother's shoulder, hoping to move him, but Loki stopped him with such a piercing, startling cry that it caused him to snatch away his hand again.

" _Don't touch me!"_

"Loki-"

Thor reached out for him again, and was instantly met with another, slightly stronger cry.

" _\- I said don't touch me!"_

This time, Thor quickly unlatched his crimson cloak from his shoulders and put it over his brother before trying to reach out for him one last time, unsure of what he'd do if he was rejected again.

This time, thankfully, Loki didn't protest.

His brother's eyes are just barely open. There's no color to them, though- they're blank and dark, like the color and light had been snuffed from them by something. His face was paler than Thor had ever seen it- deathly white, and only worsened by the garish, black veins crossing down his face in straight, sharp lines.

"Loki," Thor finally managed to say, "Brother, what happened?"

He doesn't answer him.

"Loki!"

_I don't think shouting at the poor boy will do anything but upset him further._

Loki's breath hitches oddly as Thor immediately looked up; protectively drawing his brother closer in an unconscious movement as Zak'Vael comes out of the shadows of the Bifrost, rapiers sheathed on his back. The white cracks on the side of his face glisten oddly as the Vael looks down at the two.

"What did you do?" Thor's voice is dangerous and angry, and he reaches for Mjolnir, which he'd dropped in his haste to help Loki.

 _It is not what_ I _did, at least not fully. It's what he did himself,_ Zak'Vael answered, reaching within his cloak and silently pulling out the jade-green, badly cracked glass orb that Thor now knew to be Loki's soul, _The Jotun-  
_

"Don't call him that!"

Zak'Vael looks down at Thor in surprise, but after gazing into the God of Thunder's blazing, azure eyes for a long moment; the former King merely chuckles and shakes his head, clearly unimpressed, as he quietly tosses the little glass soul into the air, deftly catching it as it came back down moments later.

 _Don't call him what? A Jotun?_ Zak'Vael's head tilts his head to the side, and he actually laughs- a high, chilling noise that seems to make the very air around them shiver, _That is what he is. That is his name._

"No," Thor answered, strongly, "It _isn't_ what he is, and it certainly isn't his name."

_Oh?_

It's suddenly clear to Thor that Zak'Vael thinks he's won; and the very thought enrages him. He silently he clenches his hand over Mjolnir's hilt, already thinking how he's going to strike the arrogant false king down, but something ice-cold and shaking wraps itself around his wrist, stopping him from making a move.

Loki won't let him attack.

Unaware of the small movements, Zak'Vael keeps talking.

_You fail to grasp the truth._

Loki tilts his head again, and Thor follows his gaze, and watches as water slowly begins to pour over the surface of the slowly darkening, corrupted Bridge, and inches toward Zak'Vael. When he looks down at Loki again, he sees his brother's eyes are focused directly on the former King's feet, mouthing words in a tongue Thor couldn't quite hear or place.

_He is not your brother… He is not your blood…_

Loki's grip loosens over Thor's, allowing him to move again.

_His blood is filthy, not fit to-!_

Suddenly, several things happened all at once.

The ice that had been steadily creeping toward Zak'Vael shot upward in thin, razor-sharp points, interrupting the former Honored King and forcing him to step backwards in order to avoid them, already reaching up to draw his swords.

But before he could, Thor got to him first.

The Honored King hit the wall of the Bifrost with a resounding _thud_ and a sickening crack. The powerful, head-on blow forced Zak'Vael to let go of Loki's soul at last, but the God of Mischief actually manages to catch the little glass ball before it hits the ground. Unfortunately, he looses his balance and has to use the entrance wall in order to stop himself from falling over.

Loki looks from Zak'Vael to Thor, dark jade eyes wide with shock (and something else), and starts to say something, but Thor beats him to it, directing his words to Zak'Vael in an angry, booming voice:

" _He is my brother!"_

**N._.s._.S**


	28. King VS King I

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: King VS King I.**

" **Listen up! There's no war that will end all wars!"**

**\- Haruki Murakami.**

**"T** **hor..."**

Loki's voice shook as he slowly got back to his feet using the wall as support as he pocketed the badly cracked, dimly lit jade-green soul.

Unfortunately, he doubled over the moment he pushed himself off the wall.

Zak'Vael attempted to get up just as Thor turned from him to help his brother. Thankfully, Thor saw the former Honored King's movement and immediately, furiously, turned back.

_"Don't move!"_

Thor's voice boomed much like the thunder he summoned with that command.

Oddly enough, Loki was the only one to noticeably flinch when Thor shouted; but, perhaps unsurprisingly, Zak'Vael did actually heed the order and lowered himself back to the ground, his dark blue eyes flashing in obvious, sick amusement as Loki lost his footing, forcing Thor to slowly lower him back down again, keeping his blazing azure eyes fixed on the false King as he did so.

 _"Thor,"_ Loki said again, quietly, as Thor threw the red cape over his shoulders again, _"You…"_

His voice broke, and this time, Zak'Vael spoke up, his voice triumphant.

_He is not strong enough to fight the Curse anymore._

Thor shot him a warning glare as Loki suddenly fell to the side, his eyes slipping closed at last and his breathing growing pained and forced again as he grips the crimson cape covering him, causing the God of Thunder to, for the first time, notice the blood that had literally soaked it through.

"Loki!"

 _It's no use._ This time, Zak'Vael didn't even try to hide the amusement, _He isn't strong enough._

" _Shut up!"_

Zak'Vael slowly stood back up, and Thor realized that the black hide that covered the soft, fibrous white underneath was now badly cracked, thanks to the blow Thor had dealt him.

_You call him your brother, yet you know nothing about him._

_"You're_ the one that knows nothing-" Thor retorted, but before he could add on that, Loki spoke again; his voice barely above a murmur, so low that only Thor could hear him.

" _You have no brains."_

It took every ounce of self-control that Thor possessed not to laugh (and even then he still smiled), but when he looked down at Loki, away from Zak'Vael for the first time, his mirth instantly dissipated when he saw that while there was a small smile on his brother's pale face, his eyes were still closed.

It had probably taken the last of his brother's strength to say those few words.

If he had meant to say them aloud at all.

"You know nothing," Thor repeated, shakily, looking back up at Zak'Vael as he spoke, "You're the one who knows _nothing_ about him."

Zak'Vael doesn't answer. He merely folds his arms and inclines his head for Thor to continue.

"Loki may not have been born in Asgard, but that doesn't mean he isn't one of us," the God of Thunder declared, loudly, "He isn't just a _Jotun_ , and he isn't _Laufey's son_! He isn't who or even _what_ you think he is- he never was, and never will be!"

 _Such pretty words,_ Zak'Vael mused, mockingly, with a roll of his dark blue eyes, and the carelessness of the answer, the kind of _'what of it?'_ manner that he tossed aside the heartfelt declaration with, made Thor's blood boil with rage once again, _But it still changes nothing. Your so-called brother will die of his Curse within the year, whether he be of Asgard or not, and you…_

Zak'Vael's eyes lit up with a new kind of malice, as he finished.

_**You will bear witness to his damnation.** _

With those words, came a harsh, icy wind that could chill blood.

Unperturbed, Thor shifted Loki against the wall so he could stand back up. His brother remained motionless and silent in the movement, not giving even the slightest inclination that he felt it. After ensuring that Loki as safe as he could be, Thor stood back up, taking Mjolnir with him.

As he did this, Zak'Vael slowly unsheathed his two silver rapiers.

 _Even if you beat me,_ Zak'Vael warned as Thor began to twirl the mighty hammer, causing the icy wind to pick up again, _You will not win._

Thor chuckled darkly at that assertion, and glanced back at Loki as he replied.

"This was never about beating you."

Zak'Vael followed his gaze, and simply shook his head.

_You will not save him, either._

**N._.s._.S**

**A** **storm was brewing by the time Odin got to the Bridge, followed closely by Sanat Eir and Axel.**

Good Gods! _Was how Axel broke the stunned silence, looking up at the blackened sky, brightened by bursts of azure thunder and the brewing vortex above the Bifrost, shifting together with the violent winds, ice, water, and lighting together, his voice clearly awed,_ That is truly incredible power!

_Neither Odin nor Eir give the Honored King an answer._

_Eir's bright, hazel eyes narrowed up at the storm for another, long moment before casting his gaze down to the Bifrost, speaking after a long, meditative pause._

"I see two combatants in the sky; not three," _the Medic said, turning to Odin,_ "Loki is missing."

He is still alive, _Axel interjects, quietly,_ His soul still yet cries.

_Both the All-Father and Eir look over at him._

Every soul has a sound, each different and beautiful in its own right. My people have the ability to hear such, _The new Honored King tells them, matter-of-factly, as if he'd thought they'd already known,_ A Cursed soul's sound is different, however- takes the sound of a cry, because it is in pain. In the Vaelheim, such a sound warns others to stay away-

_He stops speaking when Odin continues forward, without them._

"Stay here," _Odin tells the stricken pair,_ "And do not let any pass."

**N._.s._.S**

**I** _**didn't do it for you.** _

Yes; those words hurt.

No; Odin did not begrudge him for it.

_I'm sorry._

It was the apology that stung the worst.

_My actions were my own, influenced by nothing but rage and hatred._

The words his son had spoken to him echoed and resonated through the icy air with every step Odin took, one after another, as if this was a walk through the past.

_And as such, I will not defend them._

Loki had suffered though all this.

 _That_ was never a mystery.

_Whatever possessed me to do what I have done has quieted. Now all I can see are the consequences._

Loki could hide it well; but Odin had let him believe that he succeeded in doing that fully to spare his pride (and to keep the peace) all this time, even after Loki was Cursed by Remus Zak'Vael, and even after Loki lied to them about his soul, the All-Father let him continue to believe that his condition went unnoticed, despite his better judgment and Eir's correct assumption that it was worse than they'd thought.

 _What will you do, have a War over_ _me_ _?_

Thor had told the All-Father a few days after Loki's apparent "death" about the talk he'd had with Loki a few nights before.

_What would you have me do if that were the case?_

He'd told him everything.

_Hand me over, obviously!_

Odin had never even considered it for a moment- it had never occurred to him.

_You know I'll never do that._

The surprise in his son's voice had hurt more than anything.

_Why not?_

And the even bigger surprise was the hurt that crossed his son's eyes when he answered.

_You are my son, regardless of whatever wrong you have done in the past, and a threat against you is a threat against all Asgard._

The roar of thunder high above him jerked the All-Father from his thoughts, and he looked up in time to see Thor finally strike Zak'Vael, and witnessed the further cracking of the former Honored King's black hide, making Odin look away as another flash came down.

He knew how this would turn out, so he didn't have to watch.

As it turned out, Loki was lying out in the middle of Bridge, before the entrance, rail straight and staring upwards into the sky, not seeming to mind the fact that he was being pelted by rain, hail, and Gods knew what else from above. Thor's cape was folded neatly next to him, and while Odin immediately noticed the blood soaking it, he surmised (correctly) that Loki had folded it so himself.

He had one hand over his chest, clenching the cracked, jade-green soul. The other arm lay slightly outward, allowing him to have one hand over the crimson cape, stopping it from flying away.

He doesn't move even an inch when the All-Father knelt next to him.

He only speaks when he reaches out for him.

"Don't."

His son's voice is weak, but sharp all the same, and Odin heeded him, drawing back his hand.

"It's dangerous for you here." Odin tells him.

"For you as well, I daresay."

The two of them lapse into uncomfortable silence after that.

Loki keeps his unblinking eyes on the fight waging above, not even glancing once at his father once, completely ignoring the unwavering, concerned look he was giving him.

From what the All-Father could see, Loki's injuries were bad. There was an ugly, deep jagged gash on his shoulder and chest, approximately four or five inches long; a remnant from his battle with Zak'Vael.

Worse, the wound he'd been dealt by Algrim months ago had reopened.

"I will be fine." Loki doesn't look at him as he speaks.

"I think you've lied to yourself long enough."

The God of Mischief's eyes flashed to Odin at that one, and his brows furrowed a little.

"So you did know."

"I did."

"And I figured."

"Oh?"

"For some reason, all of you have the annoying habit of seeing right through me."

"' _All of you,'_ Loki?"

"You, Thor, mother. Even Axel knew."

" _I_ was the one who told Axel."

Loki processed that information as he shifted his gaze back to the black sky, noticeably flinching when another roar of thunder came down, striking brilliant azure behind the clouds of black and grey.

 _"I should be fighting him,"_ Loki murmured, almost to himself.

"You have done enough."

"No," Loki answered, his voice growing sharp again as he slowly sat up, keeping a firm hand clenched tight over his soul and chest as he did so, looking down at the crimson cape folded next to him and pointedly not looking up at Odin, "It was _never_ enough."

"You did all you could," Odin insisted, "You expect too much of-"

"Ceil Zak'Vael was _my_ enemy. He was after _me-_ he challenged _me._ But _Thor's_ the one who ends up fighting him in the end," Loki interrupted, tersely, as he added, "He's the one who ends up protecting _me_ , even though _I_ was supposed to protect _him_."

That piece of information is news even to Odin.

"You wanted to protect him?"

Loki shot him a look, but a sharp pain in the movement made him flinch and look away again.

"… Yes," He finally answered instead, after a long and painful, silent moment, "I promised I would."

"You promised whom?"

"Myself."

"Did you ever stop to consider that you didn't have to do that by taking everything on alone?"

" _Thor_ does."

"You are not your brother."

That makes Loki flinch again, and Odin sighs at it.

"That is not an insult."

"What is it, then?" Loki challenged, instantly.

"It is a _fact_. Your brother takes things in stride; he accepts things for what they are and doesn't delve to deeply into _why_ because it changes nothing to him. He uses his heart, and instincts, to figure out what's right and wrong. You, on the other hand, think too deeply into small matters, and keep your emotions bottled up until they almost literally drive you mad."

Loki doesn't answer.

"You do, however, possess something Thor doesn't."

Loki looked over at his father at that statement, and his dark, tired jade eyes glistened a little in unspoken, though wary, curiosity.

"Your sense of _fairness_. You treat people just as they treat you; and return it in full. You saw me bringing you back as a sign that you could one day be forgiven, did you not?"

Loki's eyes flash wide open in shock.

"Thor defended you and trusted you, even after everything you did in the past," Odin continued, shrewdly, "And in turn, you did the very same thing all this time."

"And, finally; you try to return all this by sacrificing yourself for the good of those who have shown you that mercy-"

" _But it's not enough!"_

Loki's staring down at the dim, jade-green soul clenched in his hands now. His shoulders are trembling badly now, badly enough that Odin takes notice immediately.

Slowly, the All-Father draws his son near.

The soul lights up instantly when it brushes against Odin's armor, but neither the God of Mischief nor his father take any notice when a tiny sliver of golden light flashes between them, shooting straight between them as it took off upward, heading straight for the battle above.

After a long, silent moment the soul dims once again, and Loki stills suddenly.

His eyes remain just barely open and glistening as Odin slowly lifts him up and carries him gently away; where he will meet Sanat Eir and Axel, joined by Heimdall, on the other end.

The God of Mischief will be unconscious.

But tears will still be there, glistening on his pale face.

**N._.s._.S**


	29. King VS King II

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: King VS King II.**

" **Listen up! There's no war that will end all wars!"**

**\- Haruki Murakami.**

**T** **he fury with which the two warriors fought was devastating to the world around them.** Wind whipped water, ice, flame, even blood and pure, raw energy together, smashing them into one another with enough force to tear cleave through flesh.

Again and again, the weapons clashed- mighty hammer against gleaming blade, often coupled with bursts of blazing lavender that seemed to singe the air, and powerful roars of azure thunder, which burned out within moments of reaching the torrent of ice and flame.

_You will not win this, Odinsson!_

Thor doesn't answer beyond another strike of thunder, the blinding azure ravaging down through the black skies in jagged, broken lines, causing the ice and flame of the surging chaos already surrounding them; this time managing to hit Zak'Vael, who eased the powerful blow off a bright lavender shield, with it shattering with the impact but leaving its projector unharmed.

Almost, that is.

Thor could see tiny, jagged cracks slowly breaking Zak'Vael's formerly unmarred, pitch black hide, as time passed by, with blow after blow. They matched the ones on the former Honored King's face (the ones Jane had made with Loki's dagger), though they weren't so nearly as ugly nor as deep.

That was how he knew he was winning, snide side remarks be damned.

The next blow could shatter bones, and the next made the sky and earth below them quake with the sheer power that Mjolnir and Zak'Vael's sword made when they collided, over and over again until, as if bidden by an unseen God, Thor was able to smash through Zak'Vael's sword and guard together.

Zak'Vael fell.

Thunder roared in triumph as he plummeted to the ground.

**N._.s._.S**

**L** **oki stood alone, surrounded by whiteness, much like the kind that he'd been enveloped in when he died in the Svartalfheim.** _His jade eyes glimmered with a fierce, magnificent sort of strength that hadn't been seen in them since his soul had been taken._

_His face, though pale, tired, and marred by blackish veins, was peaceful._

_At his side, he carried his golden spear, and with the other, his soul; which glistened quietly, brightly in its own right, with unspoken power, unspoken strength._

"You're here again?"

_Loki's calm expression doesn't even hitch as his mother emerges from the whiteness, smiling a kind, welcoming smile, her hands pressed together as she approaches him._

"Not for long," _Loki assured her,_ "Just until I regain some strength."

"Your brother fights on," _she replied, easily,_ "I watch him even now."

"You see all now, do you not?"

_She nods, and her expression darkens for a moment. Loki notices the look in her dark eyes, and he smirks, breaking the tranquil expression at last._

"Oh, don't look at me like that, mother," _he chided, gently,_ "You know well by now I am not afraid."

"Not as much as you were before, at least."

_This astute, though very bold, statement makes Loki twitch in obvious annoyance, and while he thinks better of a sharp retort, he still looks quickly away, his blazing jade green eyes darkening a little._

"I am not afraid of death, nor of the fate of my soul. That no longer truly matters," _Loki tells her, refusing to meet his mother's shrewd gaze as he spoke,_ "What happens to Thor is far more important now. If he loses his fight against Zak'Vael, any hope for the Nine Realms is lost along with him."

"You do not believe he will be victorious?"

"I merely point out that nothing is assured."

_The two fall silent._

_Then-_

"Do you regret nothing still?"

_That makes Loki look back up at her, brows raised in clear confusion._

"Regret what, exactly?"

"What you have done in the past."

"Betraying Thor and father? Trying to destroy the Jotunheim? Trying to take over the Earth? Leading Algrim straight to you and Jane? Of course. But this? For fighting Zak'Vael, even though I knew what he could do to me?" _Loki answered, quite strongly,_ "… Not even for a moment."

"What of your lies now?"

"What I did to Thor was necessary for him to see the truth. Lying was the only way he would be able to fight on now. It would have destroyed him to learn the truth."

"And it doesn't hurt you?"

_Loki paused before he answered, shaking his head as he pocketed his soul, looking out into the vast whiteness as a strange smile twisted his pale, tired features._

"I won't let it."

_And with that, the God of Mischief simply turned and walked away._

_Everything went white._

**N._.s._.S**

**CRACK!**

For some reason Thor couldn't fathom, the Bridge doesn't buckle under the sheer force of Zak'Vael landing upon it, black husk finally shattering to reveal the white, fibrous skin underneath, skin that was already burning from the faint light coming from the horizon, signaling the sunrise.

Thor landed a little ways away from him, on his feet, letting the torrent of ice and flame land unbidden around him, approaching the fallen King cautiously, as he was not about to make the same mistake he let Loki make with Remus Zak'Vael-

He did not want to take the chance of being Cursed.

If Zak'Vael tried, he'd kill him, right then and there.

Zak'Vael lie spread eagle on the ground, white fibrous skin illuminated by the Bridge. No part of his black hide remained- it had shattered on both the impacts with Mjolnir's final strike and with the Bridge when he landed. His dark, midnight blue eyes were wide and his chest was heaving.

Thor kicked aside the broken remains of the silver blades as he slowly knelt beside the King, bright azure eyes narrowing as he gripped Mjolnir tightly, all but prepared to deliver the final blow.

_You won't win this._

"I think I just have," Thor answered, and Zak'Vael lifted his head back, and laughed his high, chilling laugh that made the hairs on the back of his neck raise on end.

 _On the contrary,_ Zak'Vael told him, flatly, _This is far from over. While you may succeed in stopping me, you will still lose everything nonetheless. The Jotun will die, no matter what you do now._

Loki.

The truth stung more than Thor had anticipated, but by now he was smart enough not to let it anger him.

For now.

"He is not what you think he is. He never was."

_Anyone who shares the blood of that accursed Laufey is forever an enemy of mine; as are those who defend him, regardless of who they are._

"He is not-"  
 _I don't care who Loki Laufeysson is. I care about what he is._

"You are blind, then."

Zak'Vael blinked, and his dark blue eyes flashed in obvious, faint amusement.

 _Maybe so,_ He finally replied, quietly, after a long moment of contemplative silence, _But it changes nothing. You will not win this, Odinsson. Your victory will destroy all that you dare hold close._

Thor didn't answer, and, even as his white skin burned and fizzled underneath the rising sun, slowly sat back up, looking Thor straight in the eyes he continued, unbidden.

 _Your loyalty to your brother is impressive, I must give you that, at least,_ He said, his dark midnight blue eyes locking with Thor's bright azure eyes as he spoke, _Even after all he has done. Why do you defend him so?_

"Loki is my brother."

Zak'Vael's dark midnight blue eyes flashed dangerously at that simple, though sincere, answer.

 _Is that so?_ His enemy's voice grew inexplicably soft, kind even, and Thor noticed that his fibrous skin was slowly beginning to come apart as he spoke in the even bathing of sunlight hitting his back, _Coincidentally, Your brother said very much the same when I asked him._

"Loki may have made mistakes, but he is of Asgard," Thor pressed, matching Zak'Vael's tone, "It isn't fair to judge him with Laufey when he grew up alongside me."

Zak'Vael snorted. The sound was harsh and guttural, but not particularly disagreeable. He ran a hand through his slowly disintegrating, long black hair, staring out at the golden palace and giving a soft, defeated sigh.

_I always thought Asgard was the most beautiful realm of the Nine, even more so than the Vaelhiem._

Thor doesn't reply, and silently grasps Mjolnir as Ceil Zak'Vael slowly got back up to his feet. The former Honored King chuckled quietly at the defensive gesture, and shakes his head, putting his hands up in a surrendering gesture as he quietly turns away from him.

 _I'd trained all my life for the moment I entered Asgard for the first time with this crown on my head,_ Zak'Vael said as he undid the silver circlet around his head, letting it fall to the ground and stepping over it without a second glance, to the edge of the Bridge, _I swore to my people I would heed the ancient laws and become the greatest King they would ever have the privilege of having in their halls._

 _My father, Actaeon, was perhaps the greatest Honored Lord in all the Vaelhiem's documented history, bringing my people from the dregs of the unknown to stand in all its glory alongside the other Realms. However, there was one thing he happened to hate above all else..._ Zak'Vael turned his head to look over at Thor, who stood behind him, Mjolnir still in hand, _Can you guess what that was?_

"The Jotun."

The reply was automatic, unbidden.

 _Precisely. The Jotun,_ Zak'Vael turned back again, looking down into the crystal blue water at his feet, not caring as wisps of his own skin slowly detached themselves and burned away to nothing as the sun finally broke through the horizon, _Apparently, Laufey was responsible for some slight, centuries before I was born. Whatever it was, my father absolutely hated him until the very day he died- and I was taught to do the very same._

"Your father's enemies are not your own," Thor told him, "You didn't have to hate him just because he did."

 _I know that,_ Zak'Vael answered, with another dark chuckle, turning back to face Thor again, gesturing at the little silver circlet with the sapphire jewel hanging from it, laying abandoned at his feet, _But it doesn't work like that, especially not in the Vaelhiem._

_Upon my my father's death, my Councilmen decided that Laufey was still not a favorable ally despite Actaeon's grudge dying with him. I had no choice but to continue the vendetta, risking accusations of treason otherwise. Eventually, they even voted to begin a War I could not say no to._

"You could have stopped them," Thor countered, though not angrily, "You were their King. You commanded them, not the other way around."

_As I said, it doesn't work like that, Odinsson. I could not go against the orders of the Council._

"So you started the Thrice War."

 _I did. I am not proud of it, nor of what would eventually come of it, but I swear to you I did not mean it to be taken so far. Borr was a friend of mine, and betraying him has weighed upon me more than most would believe.  
_  
"I don't believe that," Thor answered, surprised at the venom in his own voice, "You came back and attacked Asgard again. You attacked my father- the son of Borr- and my brother and I, his grandsons. You regretted _nothing_ because your actions prove otherwise."

Thor had expected Zak'Vael to become angry with that last statement, but to his surprise, the former King did not look angry at all.

Instead, Zak'Vael turned away again.

 _That's a good point, Odinsson,_ He finally admitted, _I did not act like I regretted much. I Cursed Laufey's kin, damning his soul to an eternity of suffering for no reason. I attacked Asgard, the homeland of my friend. I betrayed my people and killed many besides._

The defeated, former King just sighed again, and as the sun came up, he turned back.

 _While I am loathe to say such, it seems as if I have made a mistake. I sacrificed myself and my own son to a cause that made truly no sense, and now even my Black Huntsmen now despise me. So, in light of that..._ Zak'Vael turned and picked up the little silver circlet and jewel, and tossed it to Thor, _I shall do what is best for all._

He turned away again, facing the looming sun and the horizon.

_The Black Hunt plots still, Thor Odinsson. You would do well to prepare yourself. Unlike I, they heed no sane man's words, and covet a power far beyond their comprehension._

Thor looked down at the little, midnight blue sapphire, and doesn't reply.

_Give Axel Hernsson my blessing._

Thor closed his eyes as the proud former Honored Lord of the Vaelhiem begins to walk away, heading toward the entrance of the Bifrost as the sun's first rays finally came overhead. While instantly his body caught aflame, Zak'Vael doesn't stop walking, his shoulders taut and determined as he continued on, even as the white, fibrous skin tore away, piece by piece.

He reached where Loki had been laying before he took his last step and collapsed to his knees.

But Thor was not there to watch him die.

As Ceil Zak'Vael died, Thor Odinsson returned to the castle.

**N._.s._.S**


	30. Bad Victory

**Chapter Thirty: Bad Victory.**

**"Anyone can deal with victory. Only the mighty can bear defeat."  
** **\- Adolf Hitler.**

 **T** **hey were waiting for him.**

Axel Hernsson was the first to notice him- he was standing at the gates, his back turned and barking orders to his men, but when Thor approached he turned to look at him, dark maroon eyes narrowing in suspicion. He hailed the God of Thunder with a strange jerk of the head and spoke before Thor had even reached him.

_Ceil Zak'Vael?_

"Dead."

Relief crossed the new Honored Lord's eyes and his tense shoulders relaxed. The warriors behind him had similar looks in their eyes as they parted to allow Thor to pass them- and several of them actually bowed to him as Axel turned away again, murmuring something Thor only partially caught as he walked away.

_...Peace, wayward soul._

The next person to see him come by was Sanat Eir. The old Medic was bandaging up a wounded warrior's arm. He glanced up at Thor as he passed by and gave him a half-grimace and an approving wink of steely gray eyes before turning back at the wounded man's arm.

Jane and Odin were waiting at the palace doors, and the moment she saw him, she rushed down the steps of the palace under the All-Father's amused gaze and embraced him, nearly managing to knock him over with the force.

"Zak'Vael is dead, father," Thor reported, while keeping his arms firmly around his wife as he spoke, causing everyone in the vicinity to look over at him.

Odin's one good, azure eye squinted down at Thor, and the God of Thunder had the distinct feeling that his father was staring right through him, at something else.

Then, finally, he simply nodded his head in approval.

"Your brother wishes to see you," Odin told him, kindly, as Thor and Jane stepped up the stairs to him, "And because he cannot leave his bed at the moment, he said he wouldn't yet sleep before speaking with you."

 _Damn him..._ Thor thought, though in amusement rather than annoyance, "Where is he?"

"In his room, of course. I trust you remember the way?"

****N._.s._.S** **

**Loki's room was situated on the third floor of the palace, furthest from the stairs, and hidden around a shallow corner that one would usually miss if they weren't looking too closely.** The door itself was actually concealed behind one of Loki's old enchantments, making the room completely in accessible to anyone Loki didn't want to see- but thankfully the door emerged within moments of Thor stepping up to it.

The room itself was good-sized, and while there was still noticeable dust-marks everywhere, and the curtains covering the closed windows so threadbare that one could practically see right through them, someone had obviously taken great care in cleaning it up.

Along the walls of the room were shelves and shelves of books, some even stacked high on top of them and next to them, all of them old and well-read. There were enough of them to fill an entire library; a fact well-known to the old librarian in Asgard's, who would oftentimes come to Loki when he needed either recommendations or even an extra copy of a book.

The room itself was dim and gloomy- exactly how Thor remembered it the few times he had visited this room as a child. Loki claimed that the bright light of the sun (which his room just happened to face) interfered with his studies and had had the curtains thrown up himself. Extra papers crumbled notes littered the place, and Loki's desk, which was underneath the only open window in the room, was probably the messiest thing of all, piled high with books and papers both, laden with old things that Loki had either refused or forgotten to throw out.

The God of Mischief himself sat quietly on the bed in the corner, half-veiled in darkness due to the curtains that covered all the windows. He was wearing only the bottoms to his usual, black and jade uniform, probably taken from him by Eir when he was trying to seal his wounds.

Heavy bandages covered his brother's torso.

"You made it," Loki's voice doesn't sound surprised in the least, and Thor saw a small, tired smile form on his pale lips, "I can't exactly say I didn't expect at least a few scratches."

"Zak'Vael killed himself."

Loki looked back up at him, and this time, the smile faded and his thin, dark brows cinched together. His jade eyes narrowed a little as he shifted uncomfortably, keeping his hands clasped firmly around his dimly-lit soul.

"Tell me what happened."

Quietly, Thor did. For the next few minutes, he told Loki everything that Zak'Vael had told him, everything he said during their battle to the last thing he said as he walked out into the light to die.

"Impressive," Loki said, after Thor had finished his story, "So he did it completely of his own free will?"

"He did."

"Perhaps, then, I was mistaken about him..." Loki shook his head and ran a hand rather tensely through his shoulder-length, raven hair, no longer smiling, "Did he say anything else?"

"He said the Black Hunt was still a threat."

"They are," Loki affirmed, quietly, "Odin told me a little while after I woke up again that they'd allowed them all to escape. To say I was surprised would be an understatement."

"There was nothing they could have done," Thor insisted, gently, "They were more concerned about-"

"Your battle with Zak'Vael."

"And you, brother."

Loki rubbed the tired lines along his forehead. The stark-black, sharp lines along his face, coupled with the dark shadows under his eyes (telling of many long, sleepless nights past), made him look somehow older, even though he'd barely entered manhood by Asgardian standards and was several years younger than Thor.

"Yes, that too."

They lapsed into silence after that, with Loki thoughtfully turning the little soul in his hand, over and over again, running his fingers over the badly cracked and jagged surface, avoiding his older brother's gaze and only looking up when Thor stood back up.

"You lied to me."

Loki froze, and Thor watched as whatever color that remained in his face drained.

"I... did," Loki finally answered, slowly, cutting through the sudden icy, tense silence, "Yes, I did."

Thor inclined his head for his brother to continue.

"As I've told you before, when Zak'Vael took this-" He proffered the soul, still avoiding his brother's gaze, "It changed everything. The Curse is inescapable, Thor, and I wasn't about to endanger you or our chances of beating him for the sake of telling you a miserable truth-"

"Which is?"

Thor's voice was darker, and Loki looked up into a pair of painfully bright azure eyes.

"... I am going to die."

Those words, those five powerful words. Loki managed to utter them softly, with his voice gentler than Thor had ever heard it; even back when they were children, but there was fear behind it, too, just a barely noticeable shake that betrayed him.

Thor stared at him for a long moment, and it was brilliant jade-green against bright azure, locked in a silent battle of wills until, finally, Loki broke the gaze and looked away.

"I'm sorry for not telling you."

"No," Thor answered, automatically, knowingly, "You're not."

Loki's eyes flashed back to Thor's for a split second, along with a small smirk.

"You're right," He admitted, "Impressive."

Thor shook his head and scowled, disapprovingly.

Loki snickered, though weakly.

"Listen," he finally said, gently, "The last thing I wanted to happen was for you to lose focus. Knowing that I was still going to die even if you managed to stop Zak'Vael would have hurt you. Knowing that no matter what, you couldn't save me. I couldn't take that hope from you..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head again.

"You wrong me." Thor stated, quietly.

"I think not," The God of Mischief countered, bitterly.

"You can't do this alone."

"I will do what is necessary."

_I will not endanger your life by revealing what you clearly aren't ready for!_

"You don't have to protect me!"

That was probably the worst thing that Thor could have said; and he immediately regretted it as unmistakable hurt crossed over his brother's gaunt, pale face.

"You didn't have to protect _me_ , either," Loki finally answered, his voice suddenly terse as he shot his brother an irritated, unappreciative look, "In fact, I don't recall _asking_ you to step in to fight Zak'Vael."

"I had to-"

"No, you didn't. And neither did I," Loki declared, fiercely, refusing to look at Thor as he spoke, "I could have _let_ you beat yourself up over what's happening to me, just as you _could have_ let Zak'Vael kill me tonight. We didn't _have_ to do anything- we just _chose_ to act."

Loki was shaking by the time he finished, glaring down at the soul clasped in his hands with narrowed jade-green eyes that flashed with furious warning as Thor made to speak again.

"I didn't mean to offend you."

"Do you have _any idea_ what I went through?" Loki spat back, forcing his voice steady again, "Any idea just how scared I was that Zak'Vael would hurt you the same way he hurt me?"

"I'm sorry."

" _Sorry_ ," Loki snorted, derisively, " _That_ makes everything much better now, doesn't it?"

Thor doesn't answer.

"Thor, I have a year," the God of Mischief sighed, wearily, rubbing his eyes as he spoke, "A year, if that. I don't... I don't have the strength left to protect you as I did this time. I just _can't_ do it anymore."

"Loki-"

"Listen to me, for _once_ in your life, Thor," he snapped back, interrupting the God of Thunder with a dark glare, "The Black Hunt will return, and they will come after you. You have to be careful. Unlike Zak'Vael, they will not make a show out of it. When they come back, they will attack you."

"Then I will fight," Thor declared, "And I will win."

With that, he reached out and grasped his brother's shoulder, "And we'll win this together. Without having to lie to each other first!"

The anger in Loki's eyes finally faded a little, and he managed a wry smile.

"Your confidence is staggering." He said in faint amusement, raising a single brow.

"' _I wish I could stand beside you like I did two years ago, staring down at our enemies with confidence; knowing you had my back and you trusting that I had yours,'"_ Thor quoted, suddenly, making Loki look up at him again in amazement- and shock, _"'And that there was nothing in the world that could hope to stop us.'_ "

"That's..."

"Your letter," Thor finished for him, tightening his grip on his brother's shoulder and finally meeting the jade-green, elusive gaze at last, "And that chance _isn't_ gone, Loki. Not yet."

Loki stared at his brother with wide eyes for a long, stricken moment before drawing back a little and shaking his head, giving a weary chuckle at the seriousness of his brother's words.

"You are a fool," Loki told him, quite gravely, "But thank you."

Thor finally let go and stood up.

"You'll rest now that we've talked?" He asked, seriously.

"I'll do my best."

Thor shot him a reproving look but smiled nonetheless.

"Rest well."

Loki had already turned from him and didn't say a word as the door closed and his brother disappeared.

The God of Mischief turned back toward the door when he was sure Thor was gone, and slowly looked back down at the little soul in his hand, letting himself smile as his vision blurred with tears.

_You're a fool, Thor. You really..._

****N._.s._.S** **


	31. The Next Challenge

****Epilogue: The Next Challenge.** **

****"You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it."** **

****Margaret Thatcher.** **

****I**** ** **t is never this easy,**** _Axel Hernsson spoke up, quietly, almost defiantly, keeping his maroon eyes leveled on the bustling soldiers moving about them as he added,_ It will not be like this when the Black Huntsmen resurface.

"This was not easy," _Odin answered,_ "Much was lost in this fight."

And a lot more could have been, if not for your sons' actions, _Axel pointed out,_ The Vaelhiem will not soon forget their actions, that I can assure you.

"And what happens now?"

I will command my forces to return to the Vaelhiem, and I shall destroy all of the remaining portals I can find. My people are not ready to be exposed to the Nine Realms, nor shall they ever. Ceil Zak'Vael proved that.

"Ceil Zak'Vael merely proved that the wounds of the past should always be settled before it is too late," _Odin told him, simply,_ "Exiling yourself and your people will only worsen the blow."

I can see no other resource. _Axel countered,_ Once the other Realms learn of Zak'Vael's actions, they will be vindicated in turning against us, as they were against Laufey by the end of the Thrice War.

"Laufey brought war upon himself."

_At that, Axel silently crossed his arms over his chest, his brilliant, maroon eyes closing for a long moment before reopening them and looking down at Odin (he stood well over two feet taller)._

What would you have me do, Odin?

****N._.s._.S** **


End file.
